Richard Heuberger

Richard Heuberger was born on 18 June 1850 in Graz (Austria). Around 1860 he received his first formal musical instruction at the music institute of Buwa in Graz and developed early compositional interests during his school years, while also forming a friendship with Wilhelm Kienzl. In 1867 he began studying civil engineering, specializing in road and hydraulic construction, at the Technical University in Graz, and during this period he continued his musical education privately with Wilhelm Mayer (better known under his pseudonym W. A. Remy). At the same time, he became choirmaster of the Techniker-Sängerchor in Graz.
After completing his state examination in 1875, Heuberger entered the Austrian state engineering service and worked as a trainee in Lend during the construction of the Gisela railway. In April 1876 he moved to Vienna and in June of the same year he requested his release from state service in order to devote himself entirely to music. He was appointed choirmaster of the Wiener Akademischer Gesangverein and gave his first composition concert on 21 January 1877. From 1878 he also served as conductor of the Wiener Singakademie and established contacts with Eduard Hanslick and Johannes Brahms.
From 1881 he worked as a music critic for the Wiener Tagblatt. In 1884 he held a second composition concert, and from 1886 onward his works were increasingly performed, leading to concert tours in Germany and other parts of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. From 1895 he collaborated with Hanslick at the Neue Freie Presse while also working as an independent music writer. From 1902 he served, alongside Eduard Kremser, as second choirmaster of the Wiener Männergesang-Verein and undertook numerous international tours with the ensemble. In the same year he was appointed teacher of dramatic composition at the Conservatory of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna. In 1904 he conducted orchestral concerts at the World’s Fair in St. Louis, and he was also active as editor and publisher of musical writings. He continued to seek permanent conducting appointments, including abroad, without success, and in 1909 he resigned from his position as choirmaster of the Wiener Männergesang-Verein. He was involved in efforts to nationalize the conservatory and in 1913 took part in the opening of the Vienna Konzerthaus.
Throughout his career Heuberger worked as a composer, conductor, music critic, and teacher, producing operas, operettas, orchestral works, chamber music, and vocal compositions, and publishing essays and critical writings.
Richard Heuberger died on 28 October 1914 in Vienna (Austria).

In my possession is the autograph manuscript of a song cycle simply titled "Lieder" by Richard Heuberger. The set contains the songs:

• Am Kreuzweg (text by Heinrich Heine)
• Aus dem "Liebesfrühling" (text by Friedrich Rückert)
• Aus dem Frühlingsmelodieen (von Adolf Böttger)
• Nur eine Thräne gebt mir wieder (text by Ada Christen)
• Lebe wohl (text by Ludwig Uhland)

The manuscript is not dated, therefore I have no information when these songs were composed.