A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Kastner, Johann Georg

by George Grove

KASTNER, Johann Georg, born at Strassburg March 9, 1810. He was destined to theology; but music conquered, and the successful performance of his opera, 'Die Königin der Sarmaten,' induced the town council of Strassburg to grant him the means of going to Paris in 1835, where he finished his studies under Berton and Reicha, and resided till his death there Dec. 19, 1867. In 1837 he published his Treatise on Instrumentation, the first work of the kind in France, and the beginning of a long series of elementary treatises. He was not less fruitful as a composer of operas:—'Beatrice' (German), 1839; 'La Maschera,' at the Opéra Comique, 1841; 'Le dernier Eoi de Juda, his best work, given at the Conservatoire, 1844; 'Les Nonnes de Robert-le-Diable,' 1845, and a number of vocal and instrumental compositions large and small, including his 'Livres-Partitions,' half music, half treatises. Besides the numerous works enumerated below, Kastner was a voluminous contributor to the 'Gazette Musicale,' the 'Ménestrel,' and the 'Revue étrangère,' as well as to the German periodicals, 'Iris,' 'Allg. musikalische Zeitung,' 'Neue Zeitschrift,' 'Cecilia,' and many others. Every spare moment was directed to the preparation of a vast 'Encyclopaedia of Music,' which remained unfinished at his death. Such learned industry obtained its deserved reward, Kastner was made an Associate of the French Academy, and was also decorated by a very large number of institutions outside of France.

For the details of his honourable and useful life we must refer to the exhaustive biography by Hermann Ludwig, Breitkopf & Härtel, 3 vols. 1886, with complete Lists, Indexes, etc., a monument raised to Kastner's memory by the devotion of his widow. His library has been acquired by his native city.

List of Kastner's Works.

Strassburg, 1826–1835. 5 Operas; 3 Symphonies; 5 Overtures; PF. Concerto; Marches; Choruses; Waltzes; 10 Serenades for Wind instruments.

Paris. Operas:-'Beatrice' (1839); 'La Maschera' (1841); 'Le dernier Roi de Juda' (1844); 'Les Nonnes de Robert-le-Diable' (1846). Hymns, Cantatas:—'La Résurrection' (1835); 'Sardanapale' (1852);

Cantate Alsacienne (1858). Scenes for Voices and PF., Songs, etc.: 'Les derniers moments d'un Artiste.' 'Le vétéran,' 'Le nègre.' 'Glenallan,' 'Judas Iscariote,' etc., 41 in all. Part-songs, chiefly for men's voices:—'Bibliotheque chorale,' 72 nos.; 'Heures d'amour,' 6 nos.; 'Les chants de l'armée Français,' 23 nos.; 'Les chants de la vie,' 28 nos.; 'Les orphéons,' etc., etc., 26 more in all. Piano:—'Valses et Galops de Strasbourg,' 3 sets; Waltzes, Polkas, Marches, etc., 21 more in all. Orchestra:—2 'Ouvertures de Festival.' in E♭, and C; 'Drame-symphonie' 2 pieces for Saxophone and PF. Treatises:-1. 'Traité gén. d'Instrumentation (1836). 2. 'Cours d'instr. considéré sous les rapports poétiques,' etc. (1836). 3. 'Grammaire musicale' (1837). 4. 'Théorie abrégée du contrepolnt et du fugue' (1839). 5. 'Méthode élémentaire d'harmonie.' 6. Supplements to nos. 1 and 2. The above were approved by the Institut, and nos. 1, 2, and 6 adopted by the Conservatoire. 7. 'Méthodes élément. de chant, piano, violon, flûte, flageolet, cornet à p.' (1837)' 8. 'De la composition,' etc., MS. (1841). 9. 'Cours d'harmonie moderne,' MS. (1842). 10. 'Méthodes élém. de violoncelle, hautbois, clarinette, cor, ophicleide, trombone' (1844). 11. 'Méthode … de Saxophone' (1845). 12. 'Méthode … de timbales' (1845). 13. 'Manuel … de musique militaire' (1847). 14. 'Traité de l'orthographie musicale,' MS. (1849). 15. 'Les danses des morts' (1852). 16. 'La harpe d'Eole et la musique cosmique' (1855). 17. 'Les Chants de l'Armée, Française, avec un Essai historique sur le Chants militaire des Français' (1855). 18. 'Les voix de Paris' (1857). 19. 'Les sirènes.' 20. Parémiologie mus. de la langue française (1866). Nos. 15, 16, 18. 19, and 20 contain large compositions orchestral and vocal.

Kastner's son Georg Friedrich Eugen, born at Strassburg Aug. 10, 1852, devoted himself to physical science, especially to the law of vibrations. He was the inventor of the 'Pyrophone,' an instrument for the employment of 'singing flames.' He brought the subject before the Académie des Sciences, March 17, 1873; and issued a book, 'Le Pyrophone. Flammes chantantes,' which reached its 4th edition in 1876. (See also 'Journal of Society of Arts,' Feb. 17, 1875.) Shortly after this he was seized with serious illness, and expired April 6, 1882. His memoir occupies the concluding chapters of his father's life by H. Ludwig (B. & H. 1886.)

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