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Ernst Toch (; 7 December 1887 – 1 October 1964) was an Austrian
composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Def ...
of
classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical music, as the term "classical music" al ...
and
film scores A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film. The score comprises a number of orchestral, instrumental, or choral pieces called cues, which are timed to begin and end at specific points during the film in order to e ...
. He sought throughout his life to introduce new approaches to music.


Biography

Toch was born in
Leopoldstadt Leopoldstadt (; bar, Leopoidstod, "Leopold-Town") is the 2nd municipal Districts of Vienna, district of Vienna (german: 2. Bezirk) in Austria. there are 103,233 inhabitants over . It is situated in the heart of the city and, together with Bri ...
, Vienna, into the family of a humble
Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
leather dealer when the city was at its 19th-century cultural zenith. He studied philosophy at the
University of Vienna The University of Vienna (german: Universität Wien) is a public research university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world. With its long and rich hi ...
, medicine at
Heidelberg Heidelberg (; Palatine German: ') is a city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. As of the 2016 census, its population was 159,914, of which roughly a quarter consisted of students ...
and music at the Hoch Conservatory (1909–1913) in Frankfurt. His main instrument was the piano, and he was a pianist of considerable stature, performing to acclaim throughout much of western Europe. Much of his writing was intended for the piano. Toch continued to grow as an artist and composer throughout his adult life, and in America came to influence whole new generations of composers. His first compositions date from c. 1900 and were pastiches in the style of
Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition r ...
(quartets, 1905 album verses for piano). His first quartet was performed in
Leipzig Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as ...
in 1908, and his sixth (Opus 12, 1905) in the year 1909. In 1909, his Chamber Symphony in F major (written 1906) won the Frankfurt/Main Mozart prize. From this time onwards, Toch dedicated himself to being a full-time composer. He won the Mendelssohn prize for composition in 1910. In 1913, he was appointed lecturer of both piano and composition at the College of Music in Mannheim. After winning a further five major prizes for his works, he served four years in the army on the Italian Front during
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
. In 1916, he married Lilly Zwack, the daughter of a banker. After World War I, he returned to
Mannheim Mannheim (; Palatine German: or ), officially the University City of Mannheim (german: Universitätsstadt Mannheim), is the second-largest city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg after the state capital of Stuttgart, and Germany's ...
to compose, developing a new style of polyphony. He received his Ph.D. degree from Heidelberg University in 1921. He then taught on the faculty of the Mannheim Conservatory where one of his pupils was Hugo Chaim Adler. Following
Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
's seizure of power in 1933, Toch went into exile, first to
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...
and then
London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
, where he wrote film scores. In 1935, he accepted an invitation from the
New School for Social Research The New School for Social Research (NSSR) is a graduate-level educational institution that is one of the divisions of The New School in New York City, United States. The university was founded in 1919 as a home for progressive era thinkers. NSS ...
to go to
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
. He could, however, only secure his living in California by composing film music for Hollywood. Unlike his colleague
Erich Wolfgang Korngold Erich Wolfgang Korngold (May 29, 1897November 29, 1957) was an Austrian-born American composer and conductor. A child prodigy, he became one of the most important and influential composers in Hollywood history. He was a noted pianist and compo ...
, however, Toch never got much attention in the industry and was rarely top-billed, although his score for '' Peter Ibbetson'' was nominated for an Academy Award in 1936. His score for the chase scene in
Shirley Temple Shirley Temple Black (born Shirley Jane Temple;While Temple occasionally used "Jane" as a middle name, her birth certificate reads "Shirley Temple". Her birth certificate was altered to prolong her babyhood shortly after she signed with Fox in ...
's 1937 ''
Heidi ''Heidi'' (; ) is a work of children's fiction published in 1881 by Swiss author Johanna Spyri, originally published in two parts as ''Heidi: Her Years of Wandering and Learning'' (german: Heidis Lehr- und Wanderjahre) and ''Heidi: How She Use ...
'' perhaps remains his best-known piece of film music. During his residence in California, he was a professor at the
University of Southern California , mottoeng = "Let whoever earns the palm bear it" , religious_affiliation = Nonsectarian—historically Methodist , established = , accreditation = WSCUC , type = Private research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $8.1 ...
, where he taught both music and philosophy. He was also a guest lecturer at
Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of highe ...
. He wrote a book on music theory, '' The Shaping Forces in Music'' (1948). From 1950 on, he composed seven symphonies, the third of which (Opus 75, 1954) received the
Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made ...
three years later. In 1958, he received the
Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or , BVO) is the only federal decoration of Germany. It is awarded for special achievements in political, economic, cultural, intellect ...
(Grand Merit Cross). He died in
Santa Monica, California Santa Monica (; Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 U.S. Census population was 93,076. Santa Monica is a popular resort town, owing to ...
, and was interred in the
Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park & Mortuary is a cemetery and mortuary located in the Westwood Village area of Los Angeles. It is located at 1218 Glendon Avenue in Westwood, with an entrance from Glendon Avenue. The cemetery was ...
in
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
. He is the grandfather of authors
Lawrence Weschler Lawrence Weschler (born 1952) is an author of works of creative nonfiction. A graduate of Cowell College of the University of California, Santa Cruz (1974), Weschler was for over twenty years (1981–2002) a staff writer at '' The New Yorker'', w ...
and Toni Weschler.


Work

His works often exhibit a humorous aspect (''Bunte Suite'' (1929)). In 1930 he invented "Gesprochene Musik," the idiom of the "spoken chorus". His most performed work is the ''
Geographical Fugue The ''Geographical Fugue'' or ''Fuge aus der Geographie'' is the most famous piece for spoken chorus by Ernst Toch. Toch was a prominent composer in 1920s Berlin, and singlehandedly invented the idiom of the "Spoken Chorus". The work was compos ...
'' or ''Fuge aus der Geographie'', which he himself regarded as an unimportant diversion. He wrote music for films, symphonies, chamber music, chamber operas. He also wrote books dealing with musical theory: '' Melodielehre'' (1923) and '' The Shaping Forces in Music'' (1948). Toch was considered one of the great avant-garde composers in the pre-Nazi era. He won the
Pulitzer Prize for Music The Pulitzer Prize for Music is one of seven Pulitzer Prizes awarded annually in Letters, Drama, and Music. It was first given in 1943. Joseph Pulitzer arranged for a music scholarship to be awarded each year, and this was eventually converted ...
in 1956 for his Third Symphony (premiered by the
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra The ''Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra'' (''PSO'') is an American orchestra based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The orchestra's home is Heinz Hall, located in Pittsburgh's Cultural District. History The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is an Ameri ...
on December 2, 1955). For his notable students,


Works


Symphonies

* Symphony No. 1, Op. 72 (1950) (pub. 1951) * Symphony No. 2, Op. 73 (1951) (pub. 1953) * Symphony No. 3, Op. 75 (1955) (pub. 1957) * Symphony No. 4, for orchestra and speaker, Op. 80 (1957) (pub. 1960) * Symphony No. 5 ''‘Jephtha, Rhapsodic Poem’'', Op. 89 (1963) (pub. 1965) * Symphony No. 6, Op. 93 (1963) (pub. 1966) * Symphony No. 7, Op. 95 (1964) (pub. 1968)


Concertos

* Concerto for Cello and Chamber Orchestra, Op. 35 (1924) (pub. 1925) * Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, (Piano Concerto No. 1), Op. 38 (1926) (pub. 1926) * Symphony for Piano and Orchestra, (Piano Concerto No. 2), Op. 61 (1933) (pub. 1933)


Other orchestral works

* Scherzo in B minor, orchestral version, Op. 11 (1904) (pub. c. 1905) * '' Phantastishche Nachtmusik'' (''Fantastic Serenade''), for orchestra, Op. 27 (1920) (pub. c. 1921) * Five Pieces for Chamber Orchestra, Op. 33 (1924) (pub. 1924) * '' Komödie für Orchester in Einem Satz (Comedy for Orchestra in One Movement)'', Op. 42 (1927) (pub. 1927) * '' Vorspiel zu einem Märchen'' (''Prelude to a Fairy Tale''), for orchestra, Op. 43a (1927) (pub. 1927) (Adapted from the overture of Princess & the Pea) * '' Fanal (Beacon) for Organ and Orchestra'', Op. 45 (1928) (pub. 1928) * '' Bunte Suite'' (''Motley Suite''), for orchestra, Op. 48 (1928) (pub. 1929) * '' Kleine Ouvertüre zu der Fächer'' (''Little Overture to the Fan''), for orchestra, Op. 51 (1929) (pub. 1929) * '' Kleine Theater-Suite'' (''Little Theater Suite''), for orchestra, Op. 54 (1930) (pub. 1931) * '' Big Ben: Variation-Fantasy on the Westminster Chimes'', for orchestra, Op. 62 (1934) (pub. 1935) * '' Pinocchio: A Merry Overture for Orchestra'' (1935) (pub. 1937) * ''The Idle Stroller'' Suite, for orchestra (1938) (Unpublished) * '' The Covenant'' (Sixth movement from ''The
Genesis Suite ''Genesis Suite'' is a 1945 work for narrator, chorus and orchestra. A musical interpretation of the first eleven chapters of the Book of Genesis, the suite was a collaborative work by seven composers, some of whom wrote film music in Hollywood. ...
''), for orchestra and narrator (c. 1945) (Score lost; recording exists) * '' Hyperion: A Dramatic Prelude for Orchestra'', Op. 71 (1947) (pub. 1950) * '' Circus: An Overture'', for orchestra (1953) (pub. 1954) * ''Notturno'', for orchestra, Op. 77 (1953) (pub. 1957) * ''Peter Pan'', for orchestra, Op. 76 (1956) (pub. 1956) * ''Intermezzo'' for orchestra (1959) (pub. 1962) * ''Epilogue'' for orchestra (reorchestration of first movement of ''Idle Stroller'') (1959) (pub. 1964) * ''Short Story'' for orchestra (1961) (Unpublished) * '' The Enamoured Harlequin'', for orchestra, Op. 94 (1963) (Unpublished) * Sinfonietta for String Orchestra, Op. 96 (1964) (pub. 1965) * Variations on the Swabian Folk Song " Muss i denn zum Städtele hinaus", for orchestra (1964) (Unpublished)


Chamber

* String Quartet no. 6 in A minor, Op. 12 (1904–1905) (Unpublished) * Chamber Symphony in F major, for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, 2 violins, cello and bass (1906) (Unpublished) * String Quartet no. 7 in G major, Op. 15 (1908) * '' Vom sterbenden Rokoko (From the Dying Rococo)'', for violin and piano, Op. 16 (1909) (pub. 1910) * Duos for Two Violins, Op. 17 (1909) (pub. c. 1910) * Romanze, for violin and piano (c. 1910) (pub. 1911) * Serenade for Three Violins, Op. 20 (1911) (pub. 1912) * Sonata for Violin and Piano, Op. 21 (1912) (Unpublished) * Serenade (''Spitzweg'') for Two Violins and Viola, Op. 25 (1916) (pub. 1921) * String Quartet no. 8 in D-flat major, Op. 18 (1910) (pub. 1911) * String Quartet no. 9 in C major, Op. 26 (1919) (pub. 1920) * String Quartet no. 10 on the Name ‘Bass’, Op. 28 (1920) (pub. c. 1923) * ''Tanz-Suite'' (''Dance Suite''), for flute, clarinet, violin, viola, bass and percussion, Op. 30 (1923) (pub. 1924) (optional add. strings) * String Quartet no. 11, Op. 34 (1924) (pub. 1924) * Two Divertimentos for String Duet, Op. 37 (No. 1: violin and cello / No. 2: violin and viola) (1925) (pub. 1926) * Sonata for Violin and Piano, Op. 44 (1928) (pub. 1928) * Sonata for Cello and Piano, Op. 50 (1929) (pub. 1929) * String Trio, for violin, viola and cello, Op. 63 (1936) (pub. 1955) * Quintet for Piano, Two Violins, Viola and Cello, Op. 64 (1938) (pub. 1947) * String Quartet no. 12, Op. 70 (1946) (pub. 1949) * ''Dedication'', for string quartet or string orchestra (1948) (pub. 1957) * '' Adagio Elegiaco'', for clarinet & piano (1950) (pub. 1987) * String Quartet no. 13, Op. 74 (1953–1954) (pub. 1961) * Sonatinetta, for flute, clarinet and bassoon, Op. 84 (1959) (pub. 1961) * Three Impromptus for Unaccompanied String Instruments, Op. 90a (violin), 90b (viola), 90c (cello) (1963) (pub. 1965) * Quartet for Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon and Viola, Op. 98 (1964) (pub. 1967)


Wind ensemble

* '' Spiel für Blasorchester'' (''Divertimento for Wind Orchestra''), Op. 39 (1926) (pub. 1926;
Donaueschingen Donaueschingen (; Low Alemannic: ''Eschinge'') is a German town in the Black Forest in the southwest of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg in the Schwarzwald-Baar '' Kreis''. It stands near the confluence of the two sources of the river D ...
première) * '' Miniatur Ouvertüre'' for 2 flutes, oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet, 2 trumpets, trombone and percussion (1932) (pub. 1932) * Five Pieces for Wind Instruments and Percussion, Op. 83 (1959) (pub. 1961)
for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, 2 horns and percussion * Sinfonietta for Wind Instruments and Percussion, Op. 97 (1964) (pub. 1967)
for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets and percussion


Piano

* '' Melodische Skizzen'' (''Melodic Sketches''), Op. 9 (1903) (pub. c. 1903–1905) * Three Preludes, Op. 10 (c. 1903) (pub. unknown) * Scherzo in B minor, original piano version, Op. 11 (1904) (pub. c. 1905) * '' Stammbuchverse'' (''Album Verses''), Op. 13 (1905) (pub. 1905) * '' Begegnung'' (''Meeting'') (1908) (Unpublished) * '' Reminiszenzen'' (''Reminiscences''), Op. 14 (1909) (pub. 1909) * Canon (''Aus Dem ‘Tagebuch'') (1914) (pub. 1915) * ''Burlesken'' (''Burlesques''), Op. 31 (1923) (pub. 1924) **Gemächlich **Lebhaft **"Der Jongleur" * Three Piano Pieces, Op. 32 (1924) (pub. 1925) * '' Capriccetti'', Op. 36 (1925) (pub. 1925) * '' Tanz-und-Spielstücke'' (''Pieces for Dancing and Playing''), Op. 40 (c. 1926) (pub. 1927) * Sonata for Piano, Op. 47 (1928) (pub. 1928) * '' Kleinstadtbilder'' (''Echoes From a Small Town), 14 Moderately Easy Piano Pieces, Op. 49 (1929) (pub. 1929) * '' 5 × 10 Etudes'', Op. 55–59 (1931) (pub. 1931) * ''Profiles'', Op. 68 (1946) (pub. 1948) * ''
Ideas In common usage and in philosophy, ideas are the results of thought. Also in philosophy, ideas can also be mental representational images of some object. Many philosophers have considered ideas to be a fundamental ontological category of being. ...
'', Op. 69 (1946) (pub. 1947) * '' Diversions'', Op. 78a (1956) (pub. 1958) * '' Sonatinetta'', Op. 78b (1956) (pub. 1958) * (Untitled canon) (1959) (Unpublished) * Three Little Dances, Op. 85 (1961) (pub. 1962) * '' Reflections'', Op. 86 (1962) (pub. 1962) * Sonata for Piano Four-Hands, Op. 87 (1962) (pub. 1963) Toch's piano music has been recorded by Austrian pianist Anna Magdalena Kokits.


Other solo instrumental works

* Three Original Pieces for the Electric Welte-Mignon Piano (1926) (Unpublished) * '' Studie'', for mechanical organ (1927) (Unpublished) * Two Études for Violoncello Solo (1930) (pub. 1931)


Operas

* '' Die Prinzessin auf der Erbse'' 'The Princess and the Pea'' Op. 43 (1927) (pub. 1927)
Musical fairy tale in one act; text after H. C. Andersen by
Benno Elkan Benno Elkan OBE (2 December 1877, Dortmund, Westphalia - 10 January 1960, London) was a German-born British sculptor and medallist. His work includes the big Menora standing in front of the Knesset in Jerusalem and also numerous monuments, bust ...
; English and German versions exist * '' Egon und Emilie'' 'Edgar and Emily'' Op. 46 (c. 1928) (pub. 1938)
Chamber opera in one act; "Not a family drama" (Kein Familiendrama); text by Christian Morgenstern; English and German versions exist * '' Der Fächer'' 'The Fan'' Op. 51 (1929 or 1930) (pub. 1930)
Opera-capriccio in three acts; text by
Ferdinand Lion Ferdinand Lion (11 June 1883 – 21 January 1968) was a Swiss journalist and writer. Life Born in Mulhouse, Lion studied history and philosophy in Strasbourg, Munich and Heidelberg, got to know André Gide during a stay in Paris and worked as a ...
. ''Der Fächer'' was rediscovered and produced for the first time since the 1930s by the
Bielefeld Opera The Bielefeld Opera is the venue of Städtische Bühnen Bielefeld (Municipal stages Bielefeld) in Bielefeld, Germany. It is a ''Dreisparten Haus'' (three-department house), offering plays, music (opera, musical theatre), and ballet. The main pe ...
conducted by
Geoffrey Moull Geoffrey Moull is a Canadian professional conductor. He was principal conductor of the Bielefeld Philharmonic Orchestra and music director of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra. Education Geoffrey Moull was born in London, Ontario, Canada and ...
in 1995. * '' Scheherazade: The Last Tale'' 'Das letzte Märchen'' Op. 88 (1962) (pub. 1965)
Opera in one act; text by
Melchior Lengyel Melchior Lengyel (born Menyhért Lebovics; hu, Lengyel Menyhért; 12 January 1880 – 23 October 1974) was a Hungarian writer, dramatist, and film screenwriter. Biography Lengyel was born Menyhért Lebovics in Balmazújváros, Hungary. He st ...
, English translation by Cornel LengyelToch, Ernst: "The Shaping Forces in Music", pg. 240–257, Dover Publications, Inc., 1977, Library of Congress: 76-9950, Checklist of Compositions by Lawrence Weschler


Choral

* '' An mein Vaterland'' (''To My Fatherland''), Op. 23 (1913) (Unpublished)
for large orchestra, organ, solo soprano, mixed chorus & boys’ chorus * '' Gesprochene Musik'' (''Speaking Music''), (1930). Only No. 1 of 3 published: * ''
Geographical Fugue The ''Geographical Fugue'' or ''Fuge aus der Geographie'' is the most famous piece for spoken chorus by Ernst Toch. Toch was a prominent composer in 1920s Berlin, and singlehandedly invented the idiom of the "Spoken Chorus". The work was compos ...
'', for speaking chorus (1930) (pub. 1950) No. 1 of 3 from ''Gesprochene Musik'' * '' Der Tierkreis'' (''The Zodiac''), for women's chorus (1930) (Nos. 1 and 2 pub. 1930; No. 3 unpublished) * '' Das Wasser'' (''The Water''), Cantata after a text by A. Döblin, Op. 53 (1930) (pub. 1930)
for tenor, baritone, narrator, chorus, flute, trumpet, percussion & strings * '' Cantata of the Bitter Herbs'', Op. 65 (1938) (pub.?)
for solo soprano, alto, tenor & baritone, narrator, chorus & orchestra * '' The Inner Circle'', six a cappella choruses for mixed chorus, Op.67 (1945, revised 1953) (pub. 1953)
Cui bono (
Thomas Carlyle Thomas Carlyle (4 December 17955 February 1881) was a Scottish essayist, historian and philosopher. A leading writer of the Victorian era, he exerted a profound influence on 19th-century art, literature and philosophy. Born in Ecclefechan, ...
) / The Lamb (
William Blake William Blake (28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his life, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of the Romantic poetry, poetry and visual art of t ...
) / Extinguish my eyes (
Rainer Maria Rilke René Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef Maria Rilke (4 December 1875 – 29 December 1926), shortened to Rainer Maria Rilke (), was an Austrian poet and novelist. He has been acclaimed as an idiosyncratic and expressive poet, and is widely recogn ...
) / O World, thou chosest not (
George Santayana Jorge Agustín Nicolás Ruiz de Santayana y Borrás, known in English as George Santayana (; December 16, 1863 – September 26, 1952), was a Spanish and US-American philosopher, essayist, poet, and novelist. Born in Spain, Santayana was raised ...
) / Have you not heard his silent step (
Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Tagore (; bn, রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer and painter. He resh ...
) / 6. Goodbye, proud world (
Ralph Waldo Emerson Ralph Waldo Emerson (May 25, 1803April 27, 1882), who went by his middle name Waldo, was an American essayist, lecturer, philosopher, abolitionist, and poet who led the transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century. He was seen as a cham ...
) * '' Phantoms'', Op.81 (1957) (pub.?)
for male and female speakers, women's speaking chorus, flute, clarinet, vibraphone, xylophone, timpani & percussion * ''
Song of Myself "Song of Myself" is a poem by Walt Whitman (18191892) that is included in his work '' Leaves of Grass''. It has been credited as "representing the core of Whitman's poetic vision."Greenspan, Ezra, ed. ''Walt Whitman’s "Song of Myself": A Sourceb ...
'', for mixed chorus (1961) (pub. 1961) * ''
Valse The waltz ( ), meaning "to roll or revolve") is a ballroom and folk dance, normally in triple ( time), performed primarily in closed position. History There are many references to a sliding or gliding dance that would evolve into the wal ...
'' (''Waltz''), for speaking chorus & optional percussion (1961) (pub. 1962)


Other vocal works

* '' Ich wollt, ich wär ein fisch'' (''I wish I were a fish''), for high voice & piano (1920) (Unpublished) * '' Die Chinesische Flöte'' (''The Chinese Flute''), Op. 29 (1922) (pub. 1923)
for soprano, 2 flutes, clarinet, bass clarinet, percussion, celesta & strings. Exists in German and English versions * '' Nine Songs for Soprano and Piano'', Op. 41 (1926) (pub. 1928). Exists in German and English versions * '' Music for Orchestra and Baritone'', Op. 60 (1931) (pub. 1932) * '' Chansons sans paroles'', for voice and piano (1940) (Unpublished) * '' Poems to Martha'', for medium voice & string quartet (1942) (pub. 1943) * '' There Is a Season for Everything'', for mezzo-soprano, flute, clarinet, violin & cello (c. 1953) (pub. 1953) * ''
Vanity of Vanities Ecclesiastes (; hbo, קֹהֶלֶת, Qōheleṯ, grc, Ἐκκλησιαστής, Ekklēsiastēs) is one of the Ketuvim ("Writings") of the Hebrew Bible and part of the Wisdom literature of the Christian Old Testament. The title commonl ...
'', for soprano, tenor, flute, clarinet, violin, viola & cello (1954) (pub.?) * '' Lange schon haben meine Freunde versucht (My friends have long tried)'', for soprano & baritone (1958) (Unpublished)


Incidental music

* '' Der Kinder Neujahrstraum'' (''The Children’s New Year’s Dream'') (stage play), Op. 19, for solo soprano, alto, tenor & baritone, chorus & orchestra (1910) * '' Anabasis'' (radio play), for flute, clarinet, 2 trumpets, trombone, tuba, percussion & chorus (1931) * '' Im fernen Osten'' (''In the Far East'') (radio play), for flute, 2 trumpets in C, mandolin, guitar, 2 violins, viola, cello, percussion, chorus & male solo voice (1931) * '' Die Heilige von U.S.A.'' (''The Saint of the U.S.A.'') (stage play), for wind ensemble, percussion, piano, harmonium, alto solo & chorus (1931) * '' König Ödipus'' (''Oedipus Rex'') (radio play), for 2 clarinets, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, percussion & strings (1931) * ''
Medea In Greek mythology, Medea (; grc, Μήδεια, ''Mēdeia'', perhaps implying "planner / schemer") is the daughter of King Aeëtes of Colchis, a niece of Circe and the granddaughter of the sun god Helios. Medea figures in the myth of Jaso ...
'' (radio play), for wind ensemble, percussion & speaking chorus (1931) * ''
Die Räuber ''The Robbers'' (', ) is the first drama by German playwright Friedrich Schiller. The play was published in 1781 and premiered on 13 January 1782 in Mannheim, Germany, and was inspired by Leisewitz' earlier play '' Julius of Taranto''. It ...
'' (''The Robbers'') (radio play), for 2 trumpets in C, bass trumpet or trombone & percussion (1931) * '' Die Rollen des Schauspielers Seami'' (''The Roles of the Actor Seami'') (radio play), for flute, clarinet, violin, banjo, guitar & percussion (1931) * ''
Turandot ''Turandot'' (; see below) is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini, posthumously completed by Franco Alfano in 1926, and set to a libretto in Italian by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni. ''Turandot'' best-known aria is " Nessun dorma", ...
'' (radio play), for flute, clarinet, trumpet in C, cello, piano & percussion (1931) * '' Uli Wittewüpp'' (stage play), for clarinet, trumpet, percussion, piano & strings (1931) * '' Napoleon, oder die 100 Tage'' (''Napoleon, or the 100 Days'') (radio play) (1931 or 1932) * '' Das Kirschblütenfest'' (''The Cherry Blossom Festival'') (stage play), for timpani, percussion, harmonium & strings (1927) * '' The Gates of Carven Jade'' or '' The Garden of Jade'' (radio play), for flute, clarinet, banjo, guitar, violin & soprano solo (c. 1934) * '' William Tell'' (stage play), for flute, 2 clarinets, bassoon, trumpet, horn, 2 trombones, percussion and chorus (1939) All incidental music listed is unpublished except '' Das Kirschblütenfest'' (pub. 1927).


Film music

* ''
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'' (composed 1933) * ''
The Private Life of Don Juan ''The Private Life of Don Juan'' is a 1934 British comedy-drama film directed by Alexander Korda and starring Douglas Fairbanks, Merle Oberon and Benita Hume. At the age of 51, it was the final role of Fairbanks, who died five years later. Th ...
'' (composed 1934) * '' Little Friend'' (composed 1934) * '' Peter Ibbetson'' (composed 1935) * '' Outcast'' (composed 1936) * '' On Such a Night'' (composed 1937) * ''
The Rebel Son ''The Rebel Son'' is a 1938 British historical adventure film directed by Adrian Brunel and starring Harry Baur, Anthony Bushell and Roger Livesey. Patricia Roc also appears in her first screen role. It is a re-working by Alexander Korda of Gran ...
'' (1938) * ''
The Story of Alexander Graham Bell ''The Story of Alexander Graham Bell'' is a somewhat fictionalized 1939 biographical film of the famous inventor. It was filmed in black-and-white and released by Twentieth Century-Fox. The film stars Don Ameche as Bell and Loretta Young as Mab ...
'' (composed 1939) * '' The Cat and the Canary'' (composed 1939) * ''
The Ghost Breakers ''The Ghost Breakers'' is a 1940 American mystery/horror comedy film directed by George Marshall and starring Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard. It was adapted by screenwriter Walter DeLeon as the third film version of the 1909 play '' The Ghost Bre ...
'' (composed 1940) * '' Dr. Cyclops'' (composed 1940) * '' Ladies in Retirement'' (composed 1941) * ''
First Comes Courage ''First Comes Courage'' is a 1943 American war film, the final film directed by Dorothy Arzner, one of the few female directors in Hollywood at the time. The film was based on the 1943 novel ''Commandos'' by Elliott Arnold, adapted by George Skl ...
'' (composed 1943) * '' None Shall Escape'' (composed 1943) * '' Address Unknown'' (composed 1944) * '' The Unseen'' (composed 1945)


Books

* '' Beiträge zur Stilkunde der Melodie'' (1921) – dissertation for Heidelberg University * '' Melodielehre'' (1923) – based upon the dissertation * '' The Shaping Forces in Music: An Inquiry into the Nature of Harmony, Melody, Counterpoint, Form'' (1948) – uses material from the dissertation


Notes


References


Front Page of the Toch Archive
Contains a Searchable List of Works

* * * Weschler, Lawrence (1974). ''Ernst Toch, 1887–1964: A Biographical Essay Ten Years After His Passing.'' UCLA, Los Angeles. * (accessed 31 January 2014).

* ttps://archive.today/20130416053829/http://www.weta.org/node/450363 Chasing Heidi: Ernst Toch – The Composer and His Chamber Music, Jens F. Laurson, Classical WETA


External links


Ernst Toch Archive. UCLA. Performing Arts Special Collections
*
Spectrum Concerts Berlin

Ernst Toch
(in German) from the archive of the
Österreichische Mediathek The Österreichische Mediathek ("Austrian Mediathek") is the Austrian archive for sound recordings and videos on cultural and contemporary history. It was founded in 1960 as Österreichische Phonothek (Austrian Phonothek) by the Ministry of Educat ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Toch, Ernst 1887 births 1964 deaths Jewish classical composers Composers from Vienna Austrian classical composers American male classical composers American classical composers American opera composers Jewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United States Austrian refugees Mendelssohn Prize winners Pulitzer Prize for Music winners Hoch Conservatory alumni Austrian Jews People from Leopoldstadt Commanders Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Austrian emigrants to Germany Austro-Hungarian military personnel of World War I Burials at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery Articles containing video clips Pupils of Iwan Knorr 20th-century American male musicians