A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Draeseke, Felix

DRAESEKE, FELIX, a gifted and highly cultivated, though somewhat eccentric, composer and writer upon musical subjects, disciple of Liszt's at Weimar, and one of that small but formidable circle of young musicians, who are known as 'die neudeutsche Schule,' and amongst whom are such names as Hans von Bülow, Peter Cornelius, Carl Klindworth and Carl Tausig, was born in 1835 at Coburg. On leaving Weimar, Draseke settled at Dresden, and subsequently at Lausanne, as teacher of the pianoforte and harmony. In 1868 Von Bülow called him to Munich as a master of the new Conservatoire, but he returned to Switzerland soon after Von Bülow's departure from Munich early in 1869, and is at present residing at Dresden. Draseke has published a number of pianoforte pieces, remarkable for harmonic and rhythmic subtleties; 'Fantasiestücke in Walzerform,' op. 3; 'Deux valses de concert,' op. 4; a fine Sonata in E major, op. 6; several pieces for piano and violoncello; some vocal compositions and a symphony. An opera, for which he himself wrote the poem, is still in manuscript. Of his literary labours, the elaborate analysis of Liszt's Poemes symphoniques in Brendel's 'Anregungen,' and the recent essay on Peter Cornelius, in 'Die neue Zeitschrift für Musik,' as well as a treatise on 'Modulation,' are valuable.

[ E. D. ]