Huber Hans, *28 June 1852 Eppenberg (Ranton Solura), †25 December 1921 Locarno, Swiss composer and pianist. Between 1870 and 1874, he studied at the Leipzig Conservatoire under C. Reinecke (piano) and E.F. Richter (harmony). He then worked in Wesserling and Thena (Alsace) as a music teacher; it was there that he began composing piano pieces, which he performed in recitals. In 1877 he settled in Basel, where from 1889 he was professor of piano at the conservatoire, serving as director from 1896 to 1917. From 1899 to 1902 he directed the Gesangverein in Basel. In addition, he performed as a concert pianist and as an accompanist to the singer Ida Petzold, his wife. Illness brought his teaching and concert activities to an end; in 1918 he moved to Locarno, where he composed mainly sacred music.
Huber – a representative of the Romantic style in Switzerland – was initially influenced by the music of Schumann, and later by Liszt, Brahms and R. Strauss. He incorporated motifs drawn from Swiss folk songs into his music. During Huber’s lifetime, his diverse body of work was frequently performed, published and highly regarded; the cantata Pandora and the Symphony No. 1 “Tell” were particularly popular.
Literature: G. Bundi Hans Huber Die Persönlichkeit nach Briefen und Erinnerungen, Basel 1925; E. Refardt Hans Huber Leben und Wirken eines Schweizer Musikers, Zurich 1944 (contains a list of works and bibliography); H. Zehntner Felix Weingartner und Hans Huber: Zwei Ausstellungen in Basel, “Fontes Artis Musicae” I No. 1 (1954); J. Lyon Hans Huber ou l’humanisme musical bâlois, Gollion (near Lausanne) 2025.
Instrumental:
orchestral:
8 symphonies– No. 1 “Tell” Op. 63, 1881, No. 2 “Böcklin” Op. 115, 1900, No. 3 “Heroische” Op. 118, 1902, No. 4 “Akademische” 1909, new version 1918, No. 5 “Romantische – Der Geiger von Gmünd” 1906, VI Op. 134, VII “Schweizerische” 1917, VIII 1920
Lustspielouverture Op. 50
Piano Concerto No. 1 Op. 36, 1878
Violin Concerto No. 1, 1878
Sommernächte, serenade Op. 85, 1885
Violin Concerto No. 2, 1886
Piano Concerto No. 2 Op. 107, 1891
Winternächte, serenade, 1895
An das Vaterland, symphonic ode, 1898
Piano Concerto No. 3 Op. 113, 1899
Piano Concerto No. 4, 1911
Suite for cello, 1919
chamber:
Piano Quintet No. 1 Op. 111, 1891
Piano Quartet No. 1 Op. 110, 1891
Piano Quintet No. 2 Op. 125, 1896
String Quartet 1896
Piano Quartet No. 2 Op. 117, 1902
Quintet Op. 136, for wind instruments and piano, 1914
Sextet for piano and wind instruments, 1924
Piano Trio No. 1 Op. 20
Piano Trio No. 2 Op. 65
Piano Trio No. 3 Op. 105
Piano Trio No. 4 Op. 120
sonatas, suites and other pieces for violin and piano and for cello and piano
short piano pieces, also for 4 hands
3 sonatas for 2 pianos
Fantasie nach Worten der heiligen Schrift 1882 and Prelude and fugue 1915 for organ
Vocal and vocal-instrumental:
songs for 1–4 solo voices for male a cappella choir, for female choir with accompaniment
Meerfahrt Op. 91, for solo voice, male choir and orchestra
Caenis for alto, male choir and orchestra, 1902
Heldenehren for soprano, baritone, children’s choir, male choir and orchestra, 1913
Pandora, 1910, cantata to mark the anniversary of the University of Basel
Der Heilige Hain, oratorio, 1910
Weissagung und Erfüllung, oratorio, 1913
4 masses 1919–20
Stage:
operas:
Weltfrühling, libretto by R. Wackernagel, performed in Basel1894
Kudrun, libretto by S. Born, performed in Basel1896
Der Simplicius libretto by A. Mendelssohn, performed in Basel1912
Die schöne Bellinda, libretto by G. Bundi, performed in Bern 1916
Frutto di mare, libretto by F. Karmin, performed in Basel 1918
stage music
