Rudolf Ochs

Rudolf Ochs was born on 17 January 1887 in Frankfurt am Main (Germany). He was the nephew of composer Siegfried Ochs (1858-1929). It is little known about the life of Rudolf Ochs, but he became a professional musician as his uncle. In 1929 he founded the choir "Wach auf" in Dresden and acted as their conductor. Rudolf Ochs was also kapellmeister of the German opera in Brüx (today Czech Republic and called "Most") around the year 1930. In 1934 Rudolf Ochs was hidden from the fascistic persecution by Paul Hartig, the cantor of Bad Schandau near Dresden, who also helped Rudolf Ochs to flee to Czechoslovakia. Rudolf Ochs died on 6 May 1951 in Ziegelhausen near Heidelberg (Germany).

Rudolf Ochs was also active as a composer, mostly under his name, but he also used the pseudonyms "Rudolf Schlenker" or "O. Rudolf". There is no published work catalogue and for that reason I would like to present a list of all his compositions that I could find:

• Zwei Menschen, for voice and piano (1913), song cycle, among the songs is „An der Weser“
• Lieder der Ophelia, for voice and piano (1912-23), song cycle with the songs 1. Volkslied, 2. Das Rautensträuchlein, 3. Spruch für eine Sonnenuhr, 4. Abendlied
• Schnitter Tod, for mixed choir, boys choir, brass and percussion (1930), won the Prussian State Award in 1930
• 8 Christmas songs (1930), song cycle of folk songs arranged by Rudolf Ochs
• Heroischer-Marsch op.40 No.2 by Franz Schubert, orchestrated by Rudolf Ochs (1931)
• Die Geschichte von der Geburt Jesu (1935), oratorio
• String quartet in C major (1935)
• Ein Tag (1937), song cycle for choir (8 songs, among them: Mittag, Septembermorgen, Ein Mädchen singt, Morgenlied, Abendlied)
• Zum Lob der Musik, cantata for mezzo-soprano, choir and orchestra (1938)
• Ich bin, for soprano, baritone and organ (1945)
• Das kalte Herz, choral opera (1948)
• Wanderer Am Weg, for mixed choir, bass baritone and piano
• Barbara Allen, for voice and piano
• Kleine Suite, for 4 horns
• Vergnügliche Musik, for 4 horns
  

In my possession is the autograph manuscript of the song "Ich bin" for soprano, baritone and organ by Rudolf Ochs. It is unclear when the work was composed and if it is part of a larger song cycle, but on the title page of my manuscript the score is dedicated to an "Erich Sondheim" and dated 18 June 1945. The song sets a text from the Bhagavad Gita to music in a translation by August Wilhelm Schlegel.