Kalkbrenner, Christian (EN)

Kalkbrenner Christian, *22 September 1755 Minden (Westphalia), †10 August 1806 Paris, German composer and bandmaster. He began his musical education with his father Michael Kalkbrenner (a city musician in Kassel) and continued with an organist J. Becker and violinist C. Rodewald. From the age of 17, he was a chorister and violinist at the French opera in Kassel. In 1784, he received honorary membership of the Società Filarmonica in Bologna for the mass he sent. In 1785, he was appointed bandmaster of the Prussian royal court, and from 1790, he held this position at the court of priest Henry of Prussia in Rheinsberg. In 1796, he left Germany and stayed, among others, in Naples. In 1799, he became Maître des Choeurs et des Ecoles at the opera in Paris.

Christian Kalkbrenner was a comprehensively educated musician. In his works, he showed good mastery of form and melodic inventiveness. He belonged to Beethoven’s circle of friends.

Literature: D. Fraser Frederick the Great, London 2001; A.F. Marmontel Les pianistes célèbres, Paris 1878; J. Nicholas Booklet of Hyperion CD recording of Kalkbrenner Piano Concertos No 1, Op. 61 and No 2, op. 127, London 2006; W. Killy, R. Vierhaus Deutsche Biographische Encyklopädie, vol. 5 K–G, Munich 1999.