Emil Robert Höpner

Emil Robert Höpner (4 July 1846 – 20 December 1903) was a German organist and music educator.

Life and career

Born in Dresden, Höpner was Royal Saxon Music Director and organist at the Dresden Frauenkirche from 1872 to 1885. He was unanimously elected to this position at the Kreuzkirche to succeed the late organist Christian Robert Pfretzschner (1821–1885).[1] He worked there from 1885 to 1902, as well as teaching at the Conservatory of Music in his native Dresden. His father, Christian Gottlob Höpner[2] (1799–1859), was also Kreuzorganist from 1837 to 1859.[3] Höpner had his first organist position at the Reformed Church in Dresden in the late 1860s[4] and he worked as a music teacher at the same time.[5] As a full member of the Ton-Künstler-Verein zu Dresden,[6] Höpner participated on 9 March 1885, together with the teacher of the Dresden Conservatory Eugen Krantz (1844–1898) at a practice evening of this society by playing the Bach Concerto for Two Pianos in C Major accompanied by string instruments.[7] Also on 7 April 1893, Höpner took part in a performance evening of the Tonkünstler-Verein zu Dresden and together with his colleague from the conservatory and organist of the Frauenkirche Paul Janssen played Mozart's "Sonata in E-flat Major Quartet for Two Pianos".[8]

Höpner was one of the Dresden organists who presented the new Jehmlich organ in its tonal possibilities on 12 March 1899 in Loschwitz. Together with the organist and cantor of the Johanniskirche, Hans Fährmann (1860–1940), and the church musician at St. Peter's Church, Friedrich Wilhelm Borrmann, as well as the local church school teacher, Friedrich Kettner, the Kreuzorganist arranged a festive concert in the rebuilt Loschwitz church.[9]

In addition to his work as an organist, Höpner gave piano and organ lessons. In the school year 1884/85, eight pupils attended his lessons in the special subject of music at the Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber. Since 1 December 1885, he also gave organ lessons there.[10] Among his pupils was the later Kapellmeister and composer Georg Pittrich.

Together with Paul Janssen, the Royal Director of Music, Höpner played the Festive Prelude for organ four hands and double pedal on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the assumption of patronage of the Dresden Conservatory by the Crown Prince of Saxony and later King Albert of Saxony.[11]

Höpner was last mentioned as a teacher at the Dresden Conservatory in the Dresden address book of 1901, when he lived in Grunaer Straße. He supported the library of the music conservatory with valuable gifts. He retired as organist at the Kreuzkirche in 1902.

Honours

The violoncellist of the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden from 1870 to 1908 and composer Carl Hüllweck (1852–1910) assigned an arioso for violoncello and organ, also for "pianoforte"/piano, to his "dear friend Emil Höpner organist at the Frauenkirche in Dresden."[12] Gustav Flügel (1812–1900) dedicated his work Op. 99 III Fugues for organ to the Kreuzorganist Emil Höpner, also during his lifetime.[13]

The Kreuzorganist was appointed music director in 1891.[14]

Gravesite of the organist Robert Emil Höpner at the Alten Annenfriedhof

Last resting place

At the beginning of 1904, the German-language American newspaper Indiana Tribüne reported from the villa district of Dresden Oberloschwitz that "after a long suffering, Robert Emil Höpner, music director and organist (ret.) had died".[15] The newspaper Dresdner Neueste Nachrichten had already informed on 23 December 1903 that the royal music director, organist Höpner in Loschwitz[16] died, highlighting his longstanding ties with the Dresden Conservatory as well as the Kreuzkirche.[17]

Höpner's final resting place is at the Alter Annenfriedhof in Dresden. His wife Bertha Höpner, née Braunsdorf, born on 16 November 1870, died on 21 March 1951, is also buried there. The son Robert Paul Höpner[18] born in 1892 and for decades (since 1914) organist as well as cantor at the Lukaskirche,[19] arranged for his sister Margarethe (1893–1962) to be commemorated on their parents' gravestone, especially because of her devotion to duty.

References
  1. Neue Zeitschrift für Musik [Organ of the General German Music Society and the Beethoven Foundation], No. 7, 13 February 1885, p. 88
  2. GND; DNB-Portal
  3. Address and Business Handbook of the Royal Capital and Residence City of Dresden, 1859, p. 79; Numerized SLUB Dresden/
  4. Address Book Dresden, vol. 1869, p. 82
  5. Address book Dresden, vol. 1869, 1st section p. 116, column 2; Numerized SLUB Dresden
  6. Bericht über den Tonkünstler-Verein zu Dresden Band [20] 1873/74, p. 27 No. 57
  7. Bericht über den Tonkünstler-Verein zu Dresden Vol. [31] 1884/85, p. 18; id=5363&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=130569&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=20 Numerized SLUB Dresden
  8. Neue Zeitschrift für Musik, No. 20/21 vom 24 Mai 1893, p. 241
  9. Steude, Wolfram in Herrmann, Matthias: Die Dresdner Kirchenmusik im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert, vol. 3, Laaber 1998, p. 435; ISBN 3-89007-331-X
  10. Bericht des Königl. Conservatoriums für Musik zu Dresden, Schuljahr 1890/91, p. 17; Numerized SLUB Dresden
  11. Breslaur, Emil: Der Klavier-Lehrer. Musik-pädagogische Zeitschrift. Organ der Deutschen Musiklehrer-Vereine und der Tonkünstler-Vereine. Berlin 1898, p. 77 column 2; issue no. 6 of 15 March 1898
  12. Op. 7, published by Breitkopf & Härtel, Leipzig/Brussels 1885, title record SLUB Dresden; catalogue
  13. Published by Rieter-Biedermann¸ Leipzig 1890
  14. Wohnungs- und Geschäfts-Handbuch der königlichen Residenz- und Hauptstadt Dresden. Vol. 38, Einsendeschluss: 15 October 1891; Second part, IV. Section, p. 93: Kreuzkirche, "Organist: Höpner, Rob. Emil, Königl. Musikdirektor"
  15. Indiana Tribune, vol. 27, No 168, publisher Indianapolis; German edition of 8 March 1904, p. 6
  16. Last residence: Straußstraße 3 in Löschwitz, according to the address book Dresden und Vororte, vol. 1904, Part VI, p. 256, column 3; Numerized SLUB Dresden
  17. Dresdner Neueste Nachrichten, 23 December 1903, No. 354, page 3, column 2; Numerized SLUB Dresden
  18. Picture of Paul Höpner, (born 29 April 1892) photographed by Ursula Richter around 1932/33 owned by SLUB/Deutsche Fotothek; deutschefotothek.de/documents/obj/81105210 Objekt 81105210
  19. Address Book Dresden, Volume 1943/44, p. 341, column 1: "Höpner, Emil Robert Paul, cantor and organist"; Numerized SLUB Dresden
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