Maximilian Kojetinski

Maximilian Kojetinski was born on 14 April 1906 in Vienna (at that time Austria-Hungary, today Austria). He studied at the Music Academy in Vienna under Joseph Marx.
After his studies Max Kojetinski mainly focused on a career as a conductor. From 1925 to 1935 he was kapellmeister at the theatre in Ulm, then in Stralsund (1935-38). From 1938 to 1942 he was principal kapellmeister and dramatic adviser at the Vienna Opera. Then Max Kojetinski moved to Thorn where he became the city's music director (director of the theatre, conductor of the orchestra and head of the music school). In 1944 Max Kojetinski was drafted for military service and got into war captivity. He was released in 1945 and could continue his musical career. At first Max Kojetinski was kapellmeister at the operain Graz, but became repetiteur and director of studies at the Bayreuth Festival. In 1956 he was named a professor, retired in 1972 but remained in this position at the Bayreuth Festival until his passing. 
At the beginning of his career Max Kojetinski also made some steps as a composer. Among his early works from the 1930s and 40s are a piano concerto, the "Ballade from Brennnesselbusch" for alto and orchestra, a string quartet and the music for the play "Hanseaten". He later composed also a Sinfonietta and a "Festliches Fanfarenvorspiel" for 9 winds and orchestra. In the end the output of Max Kojetinski as a composer remained small, but of high quality. All the mentioned compositions were performed and received lauding reviews.
Maximilian Kojetinski died on 17 July 1986 in Bayreuth (Germany).

Songs

In my possession are six autograph manuscripts of songs for voice and piano by Max Kojetinski. Three of the songs are numbered 1, 2 and 3 and all three use poems by Ricarda Huch. So it seems likely that these belong together and build a cycle. The songs have no title, but can be named after the Huch poem: 1. In jener Zeit, da ich dich nicht mehr nannte; 2. Wie liebten wir so treu; 3. Ein Engel hat den vollen Kranz.

The three other songs are titled "Einsam" and "Umsonst" (text in both songs by Anton Renk) and "Ich trag ein glückselig Geheimnis" (Text by Anna Ritter).

All six manuscripts are undated, so it is uncertain when they were composed.

Hans Pfitzner (left) and Max Kojetinski (right) in 1938