A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Fesca, Friedrich

FESCA, Friedrich Ernst, composer, born at Magdeburg, Feb. 15, 1789. His father was an amateur, and his mother a singer, pupil of J. A. Hiller, so he heard good music in his youth, and as soon as he could play the violin had taste enough to choose the quartets and quintets of Haydn and Mozart in preference to Pleyel's music, for which there was then a perfect rage in Germany. Having completed his elementary studies, he went through a course of counterpoint with Pitterlin, conductor of the Magdeburg theatre. On Pitterlin's death in 1804 he became a pupil of August Eberhardt Müller at Leipsic. Here he played a violin concerto of his own with brilliant success. In 1806 he accepted a place in the Duke of Oldenburg's band, but in the following year became solo violinist under Reichardt at Cassel, where he passed six happy years and composed his first seven quartets and first two symphonies, interesting works, especially when he himself played the first violin. In 1814, after a visit to Vienna, he was appointed solo violin, and in the following year concert-meister, to the Duke of Baden at Carlsruhe. During the next eleven years he wrote 2 operas, 'Cantemir' and 'Leila,' overtures, quartets, quintets, chorales, psalms and other sacred music. He died at Carlsruhe May 24, 1826, of consumption, after many years' suffering, which however had not impaired his powers, as his last works contain some of his best writing. His 'De profundis,' arranged in 4 parts by Strauss, was sung at his funeral. Fesca was thoughtful, earnest, and warmhearted, with occasional traits of humour in striking contrast to his keen sensibility and lofty enthusiasm for art. He appreciated success, but steadfastly declined to sacrifice his own perceptions of the good and beautiful for popularity. Fesca's rank as a composer has been much disputed. There is a want of depth in his ideas, but his melodies are taking and his combinations effective. His quartets and quintets, without possessing the qualities of the great masters, have a grace and elegance peculiar to himself, and are eminently attractive. His symphonies are feebly instrumented, but his sacred works are of real merit. In richness of modulation he approaches Spohr. A complete edition of his quartets and quintets (20 and 5 in number) has been published in Paris (Rimbault). His son, Alexander Ernst, born at Carlsruhe May 22, 1820, died at Brunswick Feb. 22, 1849, was a pupil of Rungenhagen, Wilhelm Bach, and Taubert, and composer of trios for pianoforte, violin, and cello, and other chamber-music popular in their day. His best opera was 'Le Troubadour' (Brunswick, 1854).

[ M. C. C. ]