Another gem from the Swiss Radio archives this week – Symphony Number 9 by the Swiss composer Fritz Brun in a performance by the Bern Stadtorchester from November 4, 1952.

On July 31, 1901, Fritz Brun graduated from the conservatory in Cologne with a matriculation certificate. He was subsequently engaged in Berlin between 1901 and 1902 as the music teacher and private musician of Prince George of Prussia (1826-1902), a time that he was also able to use for his own personal development. Following the death of the prince, Brun travelled to London where he offered private lessons and eked out a living orchestrating music-hall couplets. Brun became a piano and theory teacher at the conservatory in Dortmund in October 1902. He also taught Italian to singers until the following spring when the insolvency of this institution forced him to return to Berne. In the autumn of 1903, Brun was offered a piano teaching position at the music school in Berne; he also performed as a professional pianist and, from 1904 until 1908, travelled to Italy. In February 1909, Brun succeeded Karl Munzinger (1842-1911) as the conductor of Berne Music Association’s Symphony Concerts. He also became director of the ‘Cäcilienvereins’ and the ‘Berner Liedertafel’ choirs and travelled with them on concert tours to neighbouring countries (1923 Rome; 1926 Paris). His position in Berne was also assisted by the advocacy of important friends such as Volkmar Andreae, whose second, fourth, fifth and ninth symphonies he world premiered. Hermann Scherchen promoted the work of Brun in Wintethur by presenting the world premiere performances of his sixth, seventh and eighth symphonies. Brun conducted the first and third symphonies himself in Berne. He was married in 1912 to Hanna Rosenmund who bore him three children. The University of Berne conferred the academic title of Doctor Honoris Causa on Brun for his work on November 26, 1921. Brun dedicated his fourth Symphony to the said institution as a sign of gratitude. He was vice president of the Swiss Association of Musicians from 1926 until 1940.
Fritz Brun resigned from all his public administrative engagements at the end of the 1940/41 season and withdrew to the small village of Morcote, situated on the lake of Lugano in the canton of Tessin, in order to dedicate his time to composing. Lastly, he conducted all nine symphonies by Ludwig Van Beethoven and the associated ‘Missa Solemnis’ in Berne. Numerous awards pay tribute to his work. He received the Swiss Association of Musicians’ prize in 1954 and the Lucerne Art Prize in 1958.

Around 1900, Volkmar Andreae took on the position of solo répétiteur at the Munich Court Opera. He then returned to Bern, where he briefly studied philosophy at the university there. In 1901, he was called up for military service. By 1899, Andreae had already completed basic training and planned to devote himself entirely to military service. However, his friends Joseph Viktor Widmann and Friedrich Hegar were able to dissuade him. Especially during the First World War, Andreae was often excused from his duties at the Zurich Tonhalle due to military service. He commanded the 3rd Rifle Battalion from 1913. Andreae made his first appearance in Bern on December 22, 1901, with the cantata “Charon’s Boat,” Op. 3. From November 1902 (until 1949), Andreae directed the “Gemischter Chor Zürich.” He succeeded Hermann Suter (1870-1926), who had moved to Basel as director of the “Allgemeine Musikgesellschaft.” Shortly thereafter, Andreae became the second director of the “Männerchor Zürich” (Zurich Men’s Choir), alongside Carl Attenhofer (1837-1914). From July 1, 1904, to 1924, he was the choir’s permanent conductor. Between 1902 and 1914, he also directed the “Stadtsängerverein Winterthur.”

From the 1920s onward, Andreae’s engagements abroad continued to increase. In 1922, he conducted the Berlin Philharmonic and subsequently undertook a concert tour through Switzerland with this orchestra. Andreae’s commitment to professional musicians in Switzerland was evident in his involvement with the Swiss Musicians’ Association (STV), founded in 1900. He served on the board from 1909, as vice president between 1918 and 1920, and as president from 1920 to 1925. Upon his retirement, he was appointed the STV’s first honorary president. Important performances of his own works, such as the opera “The Adventures of Casanova” in Dresden in 1924, were staged abroad. After retiring from the Zurich Tonhalle, where he also performed a great deal of contemporary music, including works by his good friend Othmar Schoeck, Andreae’s activities as a guest conductor abroad intensified. In addition to concerts in Germany, Italy, France, and Spain, his concerts with the Vienna Philharmonic, especially since the end of the war, are worth mentioning. This work was honored with the award of the “Nicolai Medal.”