Viktor Ullmann

Viktor Ullmann emerged as one of the most significant composers of the early 20th century, developing a unique musical voice that bridged tonality and twelve-tone techniques. His work as a composer, conductor, and music critic spanned multiple cultural centres of Europe, from Vienna to Prague, before his life was cut short at Auschwitz in 1944.

Born on January 1, 1898, in Teschen (now Cieszyn), Silesia, Viktor Josef Ullmann was the son of Maximilian and Malwine Ullmann. Though both parents were of Jewish heritage, they had converted to Catholicism before his birth - a decision influenced by his father's military career as an Austrian army officer. In 1909, Ullmann and his mother relocated to Vienna to avoid the nomadic lifestyle required by his father's military postings.

In Vienna, Ullmann's musical talent became apparent. He studied piano under Eduard Steuermann and received theory and composition lessons from Josef Polnauer, a student of Arnold Schoenberg, beginning in 1914. During his gymnasium years, he showed early promise as a conductor, leading his school orchestra in performances of Mozart, Schubert, and Strauss.

After completing an accelerated graduation in 1916, Ullmann volunteered for military service. He served on the Italian Front during World War I, where his conduct earned him a promotion to lieutenant in 1918. Upon returning to Vienna, he pursued dual paths: enrolling as a law student at Vienna University while joining Arnold Schoenberg's composition seminar. His fellow students included Hanns Eisler and Josef Travinek. Schoenberg recognized Ullmann's potential and recommended him as a founding member of the committee for the Verein für Musikalische Privataufführungen.

Musical Development in Prague

In 1919, Ullmann married his fellow composition student Martha Koref and moved to Prague, abandoning his law studies. This marked the beginning of his professional musical career. He joined the New German Theater in 1920 as a choir director and repetiteur under Alexander Zemlinsky, who demanded mastery of both Czech and German musical repertoires. His responsibilities included preparing choruses and soloists for productions, notably Schoenberg's Gurrelieder and Mozart's Bastien und Bastienne in 1921.

Promoted to conductor in 1922, Ullmann remained at the theatre until 1927. During this period, he composed several significant works, including Sieben Lieder with piano (1923), an Octet (1924), and the first version of his Variationen und Doppelfuge über ein Klavierstück von Arnold Schönberg (1925). The orchestrated version of the latter would later win him the prestigious Emil-Hertzka-Gedächtnispreis in 1934.

After a season as conductor at the opera house in Aussig (now Ústí nad Labem) in 1927, where he led performances of works including Wagner's Tristan und Isolde and Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro, Ullmann entered a period of both professional success and personal crisis. His Concerto for Orchestra garnered attention in Prague and Frankfurt, while the second version of his Schoenberg-Variationen, performed at the 1929 ISCM festival in Geneva, brought him international recognition.

From 1929 to 1931, while working at the Zürich Schauspielhaus as a composer of incidental music, Ullmann underwent psychoanalysis and explored various philosophical and spiritual paths, including the I-Ching, Freemasonry, and Rudolf Steiner's anthroposophy. His engagement with Steiner's work led him to temporarily abandon his musical career in 1931 to manage an anthroposophical bookstore in Stuttgart.

Return to Prague and Rising Political Tensions

Returning to Prague in 1933 amid mounting debts and the rise of National Socialism in Germany, Ullmann established himself as a freelance musician. He contributed significantly to both Czech and German musical culture as a composer, conductor, and music journalist. He lectured at Leo Kestenberg's Internationale Gesellschaft für Musikerziehung and wrote for several journals including Der Auftakt and Das Montagsblatt.

During this period, Ullmann composed his opera Der Sturz des Antichrist (The Fall of the Antichrist), based on a drama by anthroposophical writer Albert Steffen. The work, which won the Emil-Hertzka-Gedächtnispreis in 1936, explored themes of totalitarianism and individual freedom. Despite its initial success, the opera's anti-totalitarian message prevented its performance in an increasingly rightward-leaning political climate.

Musical Style and Development

Ullmann's compositional style evolved through distinct phases. His early works showed strong influence from Schoenberg's teachings, particularly in their harmonic and architectural conception. By 1924, he began moving away from the Schoenberg school, increasingly influenced by Alban Berg's work.

His first piano sonata, composed in 1933, marked a new direction characterized by what Ullmann called "new harmonic functions within the framework of tonality." He worked toward synthesizing twelve-tone techniques with tonal foundations, extending Berg's efforts to bridge the gap between traditional tonality and modern compositional methods.

Theresienstadt and Final Works

Following the establishment of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia in 1938, Ullmann faced increasing restrictions under Nazi racial laws. After unsuccessful attempts to secure emigration visas for his family, he managed to send his two oldest children to England through the British Committee for Children in Prague. On September 8, 1942, Ullmann and his third wife, Elisabeth Frank-Meissl, were deported to Theresienstadt.

In Theresienstadt, under the auspices of the Freizeitgestaltung (Administration of Leisure Activities), Ullmann maintained remarkable productivity. He composed twenty-three works, including three piano sonatas, a string quartet, and his one-act opera Der Kaiser von Atlantis. He also served as a pianist, conductor, and music critic, writing twenty-six reviews of musical events in the camp. As director of the Studio für neue Musik, he promoted the work of fellow imprisoned composers including Pavel Haas, Hans Krása, and Gideon Klein.

His final opera, Der Kaiser von Atlantis, written in collaboration with librettist Peter Kien, presented a powerful allegory about death and tyranny. Though rehearsed in the camp, the opera was never performed there - its parallel between the character of Emperor Overall and Hitler was apparently too obvious to the SS authorities, who canceled the production after observing a rehearsal in 1944.

1898: Born in Teschen, Silesia

1909: Moves to Vienna

1914: Begins music theory studies with Josef Polnauer

1916-1918: Serves in World War I

1918: Joins Schoenberg's composition seminar

1919: Moves to Prague

1920: Begins work at New German Theater

1927: Conducts at Aussig opera house

1929: Achieves international recognition with Schoenberg-Variationen

1931-1933: Manages anthroposophical bookstore in Stuttgart

1936: Wins Emil-Hertzka-Gedächtnispreis for Der Sturz des Antichrist

1942: Deported to Theresienstadt

1943-44: Composes Der Kaiser von Atlantis

1944: Deported to Auschwitz and killed

Impact and Influence

Ullmann's work gained renewed attention in the post-war period, particularly following the 1975 premiere of Der Kaiser von Atlantis in Amsterdam. His compositions demonstrate a sophisticated synthesis of various 20th-century musical traditions, from Schoenberg's twelve-tone technique to more traditional tonal approaches. His musical output, spanning orchestral works, chamber music, piano sonatas, and operas, shows remarkable stylistic development and technical mastery.

His writings from Theresienstadt, including his essay "Goethe and Ghetto," provide valuable insights into the role of art in extreme circumstances. His work as a music critic and his promotion of contemporary music, both before and during his internment, contributed significantly to the musical culture of his time.


Виктор Ульман: Piano Sonata 7: 1. Allegro, leisurely half 2. Alla marcia, ben misurato 3. Adagio, ma non moto 4. Scherzo. Allegretto grazioso - Trio - Scherzo 5th Theme, Variations and Fugue on a Hebrew folk song

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