Gustav Adolf Schlemm - Serenade für Orchester (b. Gießen , 17. Juni 1902 – d. Wetzlar, 12. Juli 1987) [Preface]

Abstract

Like many musicians whose legacy exists in near-total obscurity, Gustav Adolf Schlemm is an interesting figure. First some biography. Schlemm was born in on 17 June 1902 in Giessen, a city about sixty kilometres north of Frankfurt, his family subsequently moving to the neighbouring city of Wetzlar. It was at Dr Hoch’s Konservatorium in Frankfurt where he received his musical education from 1918 to 1923, studying piano with Ernst Engesser, conducting with Hans Bassermann, and composition with Bernhard Sekles (whose works, incidentally, are also available through the Repertoire Explorer series). Upon completion of his musical studies, Schlemm held a series of brief posts, first as repetiteur at the Königsberg opera house, next Opernkapellmeister in Münster, then music director in Herford and Bad Salzuflen. An appointment as principal conductor of the Staatskapelle Meiningen in 1931 led to a series of increasingly high profile conducting engagements.