Ernst Heuser

Ernst Heuser was born on 9 April 1863 in Elberfeld (Germany). He entered the Cologne Conservatory in 1879, where he studied until 1883. During these formative years, he received piano instruction from Franz Seiß and pursued studies in music theory and composition under Ferdinand Hiller and Gustav Jensen. After completing his studies in Cologne, Heuser continued his musical education in Dresden, where he studied composition under Franz Wüllner and piano under Jean Louis Nicode at the conservatory. He also received further artistic guidance from Franz Liszt in Weimar.
After completing his studies, Ernst Heuser initially worked as a concert pianist but increasingly devoted himself to teaching and musical life in the Rhineland. In 1887, he joined the Cologne Conservatory as a piano teacher and remained active there for many years. Beyond the conservatory, Heuser played an important role in Cologne’s musical institutions: he served as conductor of the Richard Wagner Society in Cologne and contributed significantly to the activities of the Cologne Tonkünstlerverein. For several years, he also acted as chairman of the Association of Academically Trained Music Teachers, later known as the Reichsverband deutscher Tonkünstler. In recognition of his artistic and educational achievements, he was awarded the title of Royal Professor in early 1918.
As a composer, Ernst Heuser belonged stylistically to the Romantic tradition and developed a catalogue centred on vocal and orchestral music as well as piano literature. His output included the opera Aus großer Zeit, the work Der Blumen Rache for soprano solo, women’s choir, and orchestra, as well as the orchestral-choral mood pictures Um Mitternacht and Wolken am Meer. In addition, his catalogue comprised around one hundred works for male choir, orchestral compositions, and numerous refined piano pieces, including character pieces, educational works for young players, and études.
Ernst Heuser spent the final decades of his life in Cologne, where he remained active in musical teaching and cultural life. He died on 12 June 1942 in Cologne (Germany).

In my possession are two autograph manuscripts of works by Ernst Heuser. One piece from the "Fantasiestücke" for piano op.45 and the first piece of the "Zwei Klavierstücke" for piano op.46.

In addition I own compies of the printed score of:

  • Einsame Wege, for piano (No.2 from "Erzählungen am Clavier" op.6, Ries & Erler)
  • Präludium und Fuge, for piano op.26 (Breitkopf & Härtel)
  • Humoreske, for piano (No.1 from "Drei Klavierstücke" op.36, Hainauer)
  • Intermezzo, and Impromptu, for piano (No.1 and 2 from "Drei Klavierstücke" op.40, Hainauer)
  • Balletmusiksatz "Titania", for piano (No.2 from "Zwei Klavierstücke" op.49, Tonger)
  • Staccato-Etude, for piano op.54 (Hainauer)