A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Böhner, Johann

by George Grove

BÖHNER, Johann Ludwig, deserves mention as the original of Hoffmann's Capellmeister Kreisler, and thus of Schumann's Kreisleriana. He was born Jan. 8, 1787, at Töttelstedt, Gotha, and had an immense talent for music, which was developed by his father and by Kittl, J. S. Bach's pupil; but, like Friedemann Bach, his habits were so irregular that he could never retain any regular employment. He wandered about through Germany, and in 1808 lived at Jena, where he made the acquaintance of Goethe and Hoffmann, but returned in the end to his native village. At length, drink and privation carried him off on March 28, 1860. He gave a concert at Leipzig in Sept. 1834, in speaking of which Schumann^[1] mentions that he 'looked so poverty-stricken as quite to depress me. He was like an old lion with a thorn in his foot.' He had at one time been celebrated for his improvisation, but at this date Schumann was disappointed by it—'it was so gloomy and dull.' This was in the early days of the 'Neue Zeitschrift für Musik,' and Schumann utters a half intention to write Böhneriana for the paper, founded on the old man's own confessions, 'both humorous and pathetic.' These were afterwards to be the basis of the PF. pieces, op. 16, called the 'Kreisleriana' (1838). Böhner's absurdities almost pass belief. He announced an organ concert at Oldenburg, the church was filled and every one full of expectation, when Böhner appeared in the organ-loft and said 'It is impossible for Ludwig Böhner to play to such an idiotic audience.'^[2] Fétis gives a long list of his works, containing an opera, orchestral pieces, quartets, sonatas, motets, etc., ending with op. 120. See also vol. ii. 727 b.

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1. Jugend-briefe. Letter to von Frickem.
2. Ibid.