Rudolf Braun (21 October 186930 December 1925) was an

Austrian Austrian may refer to: * Austrians, someone from Austria or of Austrian descent ** Someone who is considered an Austrian citizen, see Austrian nationality law * Austrian German dialect * Something associated with the country Austria, for example: ...

pianist A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, ja ...

and composer who was born congenitally blind.Duxbury Systems: The development of education for blind people
/ref> He was born and died in

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

. Very little is recorded of Braun's early life. He was educated at the School for the Blind. He earned his living nearly exclusively from music and at the age of 12, he gave a performance as a pianist at a concert of the Vienna Men's Choral Society. On 3 March 1896 he gave a concert of his own compositions. Gustav Mahler premiered Braun's ''Marionettentreuse'' at the Vienna Court Opera on 17 October 1906, to excellent reviews. In 1925 the title of Professor was bestowed on him. In 1923 Arnold Schoenberg used his influence to obtain financial assistance for some struggling composers, including Braun, Alban Berg,

Anton Webern Anton Friedrich Wilhelm von Webern (3 December 188315 September 1945), better known as Anton Webern (), was an Austrian composer and conductor whose music was among the most radical of its milieu in its sheer concision, even aphorism, and stead ...

and

Josef Matthias Hauer Josef Matthias Hauer (March 19, 1883 – September 22, 1959) was an Austrian composer and music theorist. He is best known for developing, independent of and a year or two before Arnold Schoenberg, a method for composing with all 12 notes of the ...

. Braun wrote seven works for the one-armed pianist Paul Wittgenstein, including a Piano Concerto in A minor for the Left Hand. This concerto was written in 1924 and was first performed on 12 December 1927, almost two years after his death, with Wittgenstein as soloist and Julius Lehnert conducting. The Concerto in A minor is the only concerto Braun wrote and is unique in the fact that the cadenza of the work is located near the end of the piece. Influences of

Schumann Robert Schumann (; 8 June 181029 July 1856) was a German composer, pianist, and influential music critic. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic era. Schumann left the study of law, intending to pursue a career a ...

, Grieg, Richard Strauss and

Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky , group=n ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music would make a lasting impression internationally. He wrote some of the most popu ...

are prevalent throughout this work. Wittgenstein, who owned this work outright, performed this piece four times: twice in Vienna in 1927 and 1929 with the Vienna Women's Symphony (Julius Lehnert conducting) and twice in the Netherlands in October/November 1930 with the Arnhemshe Orkestvereeniging with Martin Spanjaard conducting. From a review of the Concerto in A minor from the Dutch archives in 1930 the following can be extracted. "The concerto written by Rudolf Braun for Paul Wittgenstein is not exceptionally original or personal. The concerto breathes the spirit of Schumann, reminds one of Tschaikowsky (in the beginning) and Grieg (in the final movement). The beginning of this concerto promises more than the rest gives. Extraordinary is the transfer of the Cadenza to the last movement."

Known works

* ''Fünf Lieder'', Op. 3, pub. 1897 * ''Drei Klavierstücke'', Op. 16: Valse caprice, Gedenkblatt, Maiglöckchen * String Quintet in E minor, Op. 38, pub. 1912, ViennaKlassika: Rudolf Braun
/ref> * Wind Quintet in C major, 1920 * Cello Sonata in E minor, pub. 1926; inscribed "In freundschaftlicher Erinnerung an Frau Senta Jölly – Klagenfurt" * Piano Concerto in A minor for the Left Hand; written for Paul Wittgenstein; first performed 31 October 1927 with the Vienna Women's Symphony Orchestra, Julius Lehnert conducting * Three Piano Pieces for the Left Hand: Scherzo, Perpetuum Mobile, Serenata; dedicated to Wittgenstein; 1922, pub. 1928 * Divertimento for Two Pianos * ''Die Tänzerin under die Marionette'', a

pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speaking ...

with scenario by Max Mell.Christopher Hailey, Franz Schreker 1878-1934: A Cultural Biography, footnote 68, p. 333
/ref>

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Braun, Rudolf 1869 births 1925 deaths Composers from Vienna Austrian classical organists Male classical organists Blind classical musicians Blind people from Austria Musicians from Vienna Austrian pianists 19th-century pianists 19th-century male musicians