Eugen Haile
[1] In his lifetime, it was claimed that he was one of the "truly inspired melodists, a lineal descendent of the great lyricists, Schubert, Schumann, Franz and Brahms.
The boy preferred to play by ear and in the open; or to improvise an obbligato to the deep bass of an old shoemaker friend whose singing of chorals he enjoyed."
[2] Its libretto was written by Baron Hans von Wolzogen (a "litterateur and musical critic," and a friend of Wagner).
In November, 1907, the singer Theodore Van Yorx gave a recital of Haile's songs at Mendelssohn Hall in New York City, accompanied by the composer at the piano.
[9] Singer Ludwig Hess also performed Haile's songs in the original German, in several recitals, singing "Teufelslied," "Der fahrende Musikant," and "Es vegnet".
A reviewer said, "The translation of the sentiment of the poems into tonal utterances is his aim ... To the lover of melody, these songs offer little".
In the recital on January 29, they performed his latest more conservatively styled songs; the audience's favorite was "König Elf".
Other performers included Sara Gurowitsch (cello), Cécile Behrens (piano), and the Hess Soloists Ensemble.
[18] After the benefit, the National Society of Music published an article about Haile in their bulletin, that said, "Whatever may be Eugen Haile's ultimate place in music, one thing is certain: that he will always be recognized as one of the truly inspired melodists, a lineal descendent of the great lyricists, Schubert, Schumann, Franz and Brahms".
The translation of the sentiment of the poems into tonal utterance is his aim, and his music not only substantiates this deduction, but his interpretations are also corroborative of it.
[12] Haile's 1916 musical setting of the play The Happy Ending followed this more contemporary strain in his writing, combining spoken words with pitch inflections, in the manner of Sprechstimme.
Finding that much of the action and dialog was of a poetic nature which demanded music, he composed a score which is intimately interwoven with the play.
[10] Another interviewer said that The Happy Ending as "not a success as a play; but the music, a wonderfully limpid undercurrent of sound that accompanied the words, a continuous surge of beautiful, inspired melody, brought tears to the eyes of critics, and the audience turned to the box where the invalid composer lay and shouted its satisfaction, repeating the demonstration on the street when he was being carried to his cab".
He is evidently much influenced by the element of German folksong, and several of his compositions are happy in a deliberate and intentional embodiment of that spirit ... Haile also has a fondness for songs with descriptive or characteristic accompaniments [including the songs "Teufelslied," "Werkeluhr", and ... the ballad "König Elf, [which is] "... a rather elaborate attempt at the kind exemplified by Loewe's ballads ... Haile's talent is modest and unpretentious, but it has individuality and a personal note that are valuable and none too common qualities in music made in the present day".
The selections were "free from affectation and the modern tendency to launch forth into dissonances and individual mannerisms ... At times there is an indication of the influence of the great composers, especially Chopin and Wagner".
[3] In this interview, Haile also compared his musical gift to the poetic talent of Verlaine (who wrote mostly in small forms[23]), saying, "In his very limitation, he proves himself a master".
[21] His other vocal works include several duets and works for male quartet (also in collection), three operas, Harald der Geiger[4] (unfinished),[4] Viola d'Amore[6] (unfinished),[4] and Harold's Dream[1] (premiered June 30, 1933),[20] and a musical setting for a play called The Happy Ending, produced in New York City in 1916.
[10] Haile also wrote two cantatas, one called Christabend, for mixed chorus, soprano and baritone soli, and piano, published privately in Ulm, c.1900,[24] and a good-sized manuscript of a cantata entitled Peace, both works available in his collection at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
[25] His instrumental works include a sonata for violin and piano and several other chamber pieces, also available in Haile's papers at the NYPL.
[19] (Note: all works available from the Eugen Haile Papers collection, at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.)
Note: all newspaper and magazine articles referenced are available in the Eugen Haile Papers collection at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Call no.
