A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Tonkünstlerverein

by Franz Gehring

TONKÜNSTLERVEREIN. A society founded in Dresden in 1854 for the popularisation of good chamber music. It took its rise from Richard Pohl's evenings for the practice of chamber-music, and its first and present president is Herr Fürstenau. The following musicians are, or have been, honorary members:—Von Bülow, Chrysander, Hauptmann, Otto Jahn, Joachim, Lauterbach, Julius Rietz, Clara Schumann, and Ferdinand David. By degrees orchestral works were introduced into the practices and performances. Out of 992 works played between 1854 and 1879, 116 were in MS., 95 being by members and 21 by non-members. These figures show the liberality of the society in producing the work of modern artists. Furthermore, it possesses a considerable library, has provided lectures on the science of music by such men as Fürstenau, F. Heine, Rühlmann, and Schneider (author of the 'History of the Lied'), and in all respects amply fulfilled its professed object, the promotion of the art of music. After an existence of 25 years, it musters 195 ordinary members (practical musicians) and 164 extraordinary ones. For further details see the Festival prospectus of 1879.

[ F. G. ]