Born: March 21, 1863 - Berlin, Germany
Died: April 2, 1932 - Berlin, Germany

Hugo (Wilhelm Ludwig) Kaun was a German composer, conductor, and music teacher. He completed his musical training in his hometown of Berlin. In 1886 (or 1887), he left Germany for the USA and settled in Milwaukee, which was home to a well-established German immigrant community . As the conductor of local choral societies such as the Milwaukee Liederkranz and the Milwaukee Men's Choir, he quickly acquired an important influence over the city's musical life. He also taught at the conservatory, where his colleagues included Wilhelm Middelschulte. Kaun's eldest son, Bernhard Kaun, later became a composer of film scores in Hollywood.

At the turn of the century, Hugo Kaun returned to Germany and continued his teaching in Berlin. Although he received numerous lucrative offers of employment from abroad, these inducements could not persuade him to leave Berlin a second time. In 1912, he was appointed to the Prussian Academy of Arts. He chronicled his eventful life in his autobiography Aus meinem Leben (From My Life).

Hugo Kaun composed in a Romantic style for a wide range of genres, including operas, symphonies, tone poems, pieces for solo organ and piano, as well as works for other combinations of instruments.

Notable Works

Märkische Suite for orchestra, op. 92
Sir John Falstaff, symphonic poem, op. 60
Piano Concerto in C minor, op. 115
Octet, op. 34
Symphony No. 3 in E minor, op. 96
Sappho, musical drama
Operas
- Der Fremde (The Stranger)
- Menandra
- Der Pietist ("The Pietist", or "Oliver Brown")
Humoresques for piano, op. 79
Choralvorspiele for organ, op. 89
Piano Trio No. 2, op. 58

Source: Wikipdia Website
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (April 2006)

Use of Chorale Melodies in his works

Title

Chorale Melody

Year

Aus tiefer Not, Choral Prelude for Organ

Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir

1911

Links to other Sites

Hugo Kaun (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
Kaun, Hugo Wilhelm Ludwig (Milwaukee Liederkranz)
Classical Tradition (German American Music)
Hugo Kaun (Romana Hamburg) [German]

Hugo Kaun: Information From Answers.com
Hugo Kaun (Wikipedia) [German]
Musikverlag Zimmermann & Robert Lienau Musikverlag [German]

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