Max Oesten Explained

Max Oesten (var: Otto Max Oesten, Max Otto Östen, Otto Östen) 1843–1917, was a German pianist, organist and prolific composer, although nowadays his work is generally overlooked.

Life

Max Oesten was born in Berlin the son of the German composer Theodor/e Oesten. He spent most of his professional life as a church organist in Königsburg.^[1] Oesten was a pupil of August Wilhelm Bach.^[2] Among Oesten's pupils was the German-American fiddler Otto Funk.

List of works

Choral

• op. ? (1879) Aufforderung zum Tanz: polka-rondo (mixed choir and piano).
• op. 151 (c.1887) Drei Lieder Songs for Male-voice choir: 'Frühlingsahnung', 'Waldeseinsamkeit', 'Fröhliche Fahrt'.^[3]
• op. 225 (1914) Für Kaiser und Reich (male-voice choir and orchestra).^[4]

Harmonium and/or Organ

• op. 26 (n.d.) Trauermarsch (after Beethoven op. 26) arr. for harmonium/organ.
• op. 196 (1897) Twelve easy voluntaries: second set (harmonium/organ).
• op. 205 (1899) Festival times: ten short and easy pieces (harmonium/organ).
• op. ? (1899) Twelve Select voluntaries (harmonium/organ).
• op. 215 (1902) Twelve short voluntaries: third set (harmonium/organ).

Harmonium and/or piano

• op. 131 (1885) [Schubert] Lieder ... concertmässig als Duos (harmonium and piano).
• op. 135 (1885) Lieder der Heimat: fanntasien über beliebte Volksweisen (harmonium and piano).
• op. 138 (1886-7) Die Oper am Harmonium. Fantasien über beliebte Opern (harmonium, and piano; two pianos).
• op. 140 Träume am Harmonium (harmonium).
• op. 141 (1887) Leichte Original-Duos (harmonium and piano; two pianos).
• op. 222 (n.d.) Klänge am Harmonium: 50 geistliche Lieder und Gesänge (harmonium).

Harp

• op. ? (n.d.) Largo (from 'Serse' by Handel) arr, for harp, harmonium and piano/organ.

Piano

• op. ? (1869) Felice Notte (piano).^[5]
• op. ? (1869) La Belle Espagnole (piano).
• op. ? (1869) Champagne Pearls, morceau de salon (piano).
• op. ? (1870) Abendglockenklänge (piano).
• op. ? (1870) Accents du Cœur/Herzensklänge: nocturne (piano).
• op. ? (1870) Melodiengrüsse: kleine Fantasien über beliebte Volkslieder (piano).
• op. ? (1870) Féodora: polka-mazurka (piano).
• op. ? (1870) La Jolie Vivandière. Die hübsche Marketenderin (piano).
• op. ? (1870) Langage des Fleurs: rêverie (piano).
• op. ? (1870) Leontine: nocturne (piano).
• op. ? (1872) Ma Tourterelle: mélodie (piano)
• op. ? (1873) Bluebells (piano).
• op. ? (1873) Spielmanns Gruss: romanze (piano).
• op. ? (1874) Accents du Cœur (piano).
• op. ? (1874) Evening Bells (piano).
• op. 40 (n.d.) Schweizerbilder: im leichteren Salonstyl (piano).
• op. 45 (n.d.) Mein Stern (piano) ^[6]
• op. 71 (1878) Frühlingsglaube, after F. Ries (piano).
• op. 77 (1878) Schlusslied (piano).
• op. 124 (1887) Elfengeflüster: characterstück (piano).
• op. 126 (1884) Weihnachtsidyll: tonbild (piano).
• op. 128 (1885) Glockenthürmers Töchterlein (piano: four hamds).
• op. 129 (1885) Sommerfäden (piano: four hands).
• op. 130 (1887) Abendgebet (violin, 'cello, piano and harmonium/organ)^[7]
• op. 168 (1890) Weihnachtsklänge (piano)

Solo strings

• op. 142 (1885) Stunden der Weihe. (Six pieces for violin/'cello and harmonium/organ/piano).^[8]
• op. ? (1898) Six easy pieces (violin and piano).
• op. 201 (1899) Six easy pieces: second set) (violin and piano).

External links

• Public domain copies of works by Max Oesten at IMSLP. Web resource, accessed 16 December 2021.
• Works by Max Oesten listed in the catalogues (Monatsberichte) of the Leipzig music publisher Friedrich Hofmeister for the years 1829–1900. Web resource, accessed 18 December 2021.
• Max Oesten. https://andrewpink.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/oesten-christmas.mp3''Christmas'' (1899). Andrew Pink (2022) Exordia ad missam.

Notes and References

1. https://portal.dnb.de/opac/moveDown?currentResultId=%22max%22+and+%22oesten%22%26any&categoryId=persons Max Oesten biographical data
2. https://www.organ-biography.info/index.php?id=Oesten_Max_1843 'Max Oesten.
3. https://hofmeister.rhul.ac.uk/2008/content/database/search/page-all;jsessionid=node0192ggybzbzznf14517469coeli37036 'Max Oesten'
4. https://www.musiconn.de/metaopac/search?id=oenbAC09118725&View=mus Virtuelle Fachbibliothek Musikwissenschaft (ViFa Musik)
5. >'Max Oesten': works listed in Library Hub Discover (UK). Web resource, accessed 14 December 2021.
6. http://www.gateway-bayern.de/opensearch?rfr_id=LinkedOpenData%3ABeacon&rft.au=%28DE-588%29117106828 'Max Oesten'
7. https://www.klassika.info/Komponisten/Oesten_MO/Quartett/130/index.html 'Max Otto Oesten'
8. https://www.klassika.info/Komponisten/Oesten_MO/Duo/142/index.html 'Max Otto Oesten'