The New International Encyclopædia/Löwe, Karl

LÖWE, lẽ've, Karl (1796-1869). A German composer, born at Löbejün, near Halle. He received his musical education at the Francke Institut, Halle, after which he studied under Türk, and in 1814 entered the Singakademie. A few years later he took up the study of theology, and during the same period (1817-19) produced the cantatas Treuröschen, Erlkönig, and Wallhaide. After this he became Cantor of Saint Jacob's Church, Stettin, and teacher at the gymnasium (1820). In 1866 he moved to Kiel. Löwe was one of the first to give artistic form to the ballad. He had a sympathetic voice, which, together with an admirable technique and a thorough mastery of dramatic expression, enabled him to make his song compositions popular throughout the world. His compositions include the opera Die drei Wünsche (1834), 17 oratorios, most of them in manuscript, and 127 songs and other works. An excellent selection of his songs has been published by Peters and Schlesinger (Germany) in the well-known two Löwe Albums (20 and 16 songs respectively), in which collection are included “Archibald Douglas,” “Tom der Reimer,” “Olaf,” “Erlkönig,” “Heinrich der Vogler.” He died at Kiel.