Kaspar Kummer Explained

Kaspar Johann Kummer^[1] (1795–1870) was a German flautist, professor and composer.

Kummer was born on 10 December 1795 in Erlau in Thuringia (in Sankt Kilian.) ^[2] He taught himself the flute while learning violin, horn, trumpet, clarinet, bassoon, oboe, cello and double bassoon.^[3]

Kummer was taught by Neumeister for a year, then took training in music theory from the Cantor of Schleusingen, Gottlob Abraham Stäps. From 1835, he worked as a flautist at the chapel of the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and took over direction of their orchestra in 1854.^[4]

His published compositions ran to over 150 opus numbers, mostly involving the flute, but also including lieder, etc.

He also had several students, including Friedrich Kiel^[5] and Felix Draeseke.^[6]

He died in May 1870, probably on 21 May, in Coburg.^[2]

Further reading

• Fürstenau, Moritz. Allegemeine Deutsche Biographie (Wikisource. From Band 17, 1883. In German.)

External links

• (compositions, partial worklist)

Notes and References

1. sometimes Caspar or Gaspard. Spelling, in publications and otherwise, would often vary
2. Musicsack - http://www.musicsack.com/PersonFMTDetail.cfm?PersonPK=100007153 - has Erlau, Scheusingen, Hungary. Thuringia from German Wikipedia.
3. German Wikipedia. Note that there are bassoon works by a "G. Kummer" (which have been uploaded to IMSLP), but they are not generally or probably by "Gaspard" Kummer but rather by his contemporary, a bassoonist Gotthelf Kummer. (The trouble with initials.)
4. German Wikipedia.
5. The Monthly Musical Record. Friedrich Kiel (Obituary). XV. 178. October 1, 1885. January 26, 2014.
6. Web site: Nachlass Felix Draeseke. SLUB Dresden. German. January 26, 2014.