Bernhard Sekles

Bernhard Sekles (20 June 1872 – 8 December 1934) was a German composer, conductor, pianist and pedagogue.

Life and career Bernhard Sekles was born in Frankfurt am Main, the son of Maximilian Seckeles and Anna (née Bischheim). The family name Seckeles was changed by Bernhard Sekles to Sekles. From 1894 to 1895 he was the third Kapellmeister at the Stadttheater in Mainz. In 1896 he became a teacher at the Hoch'sche Konservatorium in Frankfurt am Main; here he started the first jazz class anywhere in 1928. He was the director of the Hoch'sche Konservatorium from 1924 to 1933. For his composition students, He was one of the first German Jewish academics to lose his job when Hitler came to power in Germany. He died in his native Frankfurt am Main.

Selected compositions

Publishers: Schott, Eulenberg, Leukart, Brockhaus, Oehler, Rather.

Stage works

Der Zwerg und die Infantin, (The Birthday of the Infanta), ballet, op. 22, 1913, based on an Oscar Wilde fairy tale Scheherazade, opera, op. 26, 1917 Die Hochzeit des Faun, comic opera, 1921 Die zehn Küsse, comic opera, 1926

Orchestra

Aus den Gärten der Semiramis, symphonic poem, op. 19 Kleine Suite, dem Andenken E. T. A. Hoffmanns, op. 21 Die Temperamente, 4 symphonic movements for large orchestra, op. 25, 1916 Passacaglia und Fuge for large orchestra and organ, op. 17, 1922 Gesichte, miniatures for small orchestra, op. 29, 1923 Der Dybuk, prelude for orchestra, op. 35, 1928 Symphony N° 1, op. 37, 1930

Chamber music

Trio for clarinet, violoncello and piano, op. 9 Skizzen for piano, op. 10 Serenade for 11 solo instruments, op. 14, 1907 Divertimento for string quartet, op. 20, 1911 Passacaglia und Fuge im vierfachen Kontrapunkt for string quartet, op. 23, 1914 Sonate in d-moll for violoncello and piano, op. 28, 1919 String Quartet, op. 31, 1923 Suite Nr. 1 for piano, op. 34 Der Musik-Baukasten for piano (3 or 4 hands), 1930 Chaconne über ein achttaktiges Marschthema (Chaconne on an Eight-Beat March Theme) for viola and piano, op. 38, 1931 Sonata for violin and piano, op. 44

Vocal music

"Lieder", op. 6 Volkspoesien aus dem Rumänischen, for baritone and piano, op. 7, 1900 Aus >Hafis<, 4 songs for baritone and piano, op.11, 1902 Aus dem Schi-King (Friedrich Rückert), 18 Lieder for high voice and piano, op. 15, 1907 4 Lieder auf Gedichte von Friedrich Rückert for baritone and piano, op. 18, 1911 4 Lieder for female choir and piano, op. 6, 1899 6 volkstümliche Gesänge for soprano, male choir and piano, op. 12, 1904 Variationen über >Prinz Eugen< for male choir, wind and percussion instruments, op. 32, 1926 Vater Noah for male choir, op. 36 Psalm 137 for mixed choir, soprano and organ, 1933/1934 (Edited by Edmund Brownless - Laurentius-Musikverlag)

Theoretical publications

Musikdiktat, dictation exercises, Mainz 1901 Instrumentations-Beispiele, examples of instrumentation, Mainz 1912 Musikalische Geduldspiele – Elementarschule der Improvisation, Mainz 1931 Grundzüge der Formenlehre (rules of harmony) Harmonielehre (manual of harmony)

Students