THE  BROTHER
 

Friedrich " Frédéric " BURGMÜLLER (1806-1874)

Born on 4 December 1806 in Regensburg, Friedrich Burgmüller was the second son of August and Therese Burgmüller. He grew up in Düsseldorf and apparently helped out the family by giving music lessons. After his father's death, he was unsuccessful in his attempt to gain his father's position as music director, and probably left Düsseldorf around 1826. He spent the following years in the areas
of Basel/Mühlhausen, teaching music and performing as both cellist and pianist. His early works as a composer - including both an overture and a choral piece - are more ambitious in nature than the
light, pleasing work for piano for which he was to become famous. The most significant work of these years is a cello concerto (now lost) which he performed during the Alsatian Music Festival in Strasbourg in 1830. But it was about this time that a discernable change in his style occurred, as he adopted the light and entertaining approach characteristic of the pianist Franz Hünten. Only few works of originality appeared after 1832 (primarily  romances and some virtuosic piano pieces; later, the ballet music and the popular etudes). Instead Friedrich Burgmüller began to flood the market with simple and entertaining piano pieces--much in demand at the time. Around 1834 he settled in Paris and became well known, so much so that it appears that he became the piano teacher for the children of the Citizen King: Louis-Philippe.

As a much sought-after piano teacher, his fees would have been quite high. Friedrich's success may have inspired Norbert to contemplate moving to Paris. The high point of Friedrich Burgmüller's career was the premiere in 1841 of his romantic ballet "La Péri," a work that was soon performed throughout Europe (Burgmüller was not inexperienced with ballet, having previously contributed two particularly popular numbers to Adolphe Adam's "Giselle").

 

The only known portrait of Friedrich Burgmüller (shown below) dates from 1845, the time of his greatest success. Burgmüller was extraordinarily publicity-shy and kept much of his life private.
Even after extensive research, little is known about him.
 
 

Apart from an immense number of arrangements (opus numbers 1 to 113, in addition to more than three hundred pieces wthout opus number), as a pedagogue Friedrich Burgmüller published a
number of piano courses, and his well known etudes.

 

As a number of dedications prove (Auber, Stephen Heller, Julius Schulhoff, Liszt and Thalberg), Friedrich Burgmüller enjoyed the respect of his colleagues. His greatest accomplishments as a composer for piano are the collections of etudes published as opp. 100, 105, and 109 - works which quickly became a standard part of the teaching repertoire and are still frequently used today.
In addition he worked on behalf of his brother Norbert's compositions. Soon after Norbert's death, Friedrich tried to get his hands on Norbert's manuscripts and, in addition to working with the
Düsseldorf publisher, Beyer, procured scores which had been published by Hofmeister in Leipzig (1838-1844). After the death of his mother in 1857, Friedrich owned most of the works in manuscript and supported the efforts of Düsseldorf friends (Schauseil, Tausch, and Beyrhoffer) to further the publication of Norbert's works with  Kistner in Leipzig (1863-1865). His correspondence on these matters reflects on him favorably. He seems to have been aware of the superiority of Norbert's music, and displayed no envy (there is a similarity here to the relationship between Franz and Ferdinand Schubert). In 1855 Friedrich Burgmüller withdrew to a great extent from public life, and lived mostly
on his summer home in Beaulieu, not far from Fontainebleau. He remained unmarried, and died there on 13 February 1874. Unfortunately, his estate--which could supply important information
about the family--has never been traced.
 
 

 

 

Friedrich Burgmüller as a composer of more ambitious music may
be represented by the following examples:
 
 

Ferdinand Ries, approx. 1815
 

Through the help of the composer, piano virtuoso and conductor Ferdinand Ries (1784-1838),
Friedrich Burgmüller was able to publish his Rondo op.1 in 1826 with Peters at Leipzig.
It is not only remarkable in its alternative offering "for Pianoforte or Harp" , but is also
 close to the Piano Sonata in f minor op.8 of his brother Norbert: the second melody of
Friedrichs Rondo could have been the model for the second theme in the finale of Norberts
Sonata. Perhaps a hint why Norbert dedicated the work to his brother.

Friedrich Burgmüller: Rondo in E flat  op.1 
 
 

Paris, Tuilleries approx. 1840
 

Around 1838 Friedrich Burgmüller began to publish a number of songs which fit
perfectly with the Gout Parisienne and only use French Texts. Friedrich Burgmüller
as a cello virtuoso added this instrument, besides the piano, in one of his best romances.

Friedrich Burgmüller: "Effie", Romance  WwO (1842)
 
 

Opium delire sequence from "La Péri"
 

On the 17th of  July 1843, the ballett  in two acts"La Péri" of Friedrich Burgmüller received
its first performance in Paris.The book was written by Théophile Gautier and the
choreograph had been Jean Coralli. The principal role was designed for Carlotta Grisi,
the leading primaballerina of the day.
 

Friedrich Burgmüller: "La Péri"  (Excerpt) 
 
 

 
 

Today the Three Nocturnes , Friedrich Burgmüller published for different instruments,
have gained some popularity. It is the version for Cello and Guitar, which is now
available as  a reprint and in several recordings.
 

Friedrich Burgmüller: Nocturne Nr. 3 
 
 

 
 

The peak of his brilliant piano music, Friedrich Burgmüller probably climbed
with his "Rêvèries fantastiques"  op.41, dedicated to Franz Liszt. Even the
severe critic Robert Schumann praised the piece and instantly connected the
author with Norbert Burgmüller. This criticism should have deeply influenced Friedrich
Burgmüller  -  but nonetheless never led to any change of his flat style of composing.
 
 

 
 

Friedrich Burgmüller: "Rêvèries fantastiques"  op.41 
 
 

 
 

Formerly there were at this place some