Objectives for Establishing the International Friedrich Kuhlau Society (IFKS)
It is strongly believed that now is the time to reevaluate the works of Kuhlau from both the aforementioned historical perspective and their artistic values as well. For these reasons, those who love Kuhlau's music hereby officially establish the International Friedrich Kuhlau Society. Its objectives are not only to research and to introduce the works and life of Friedrich Kuhlau, but also to study various aspects of Denmark cultures in his time.
Music is not confined to only in the realm of arts. Human activities in all the spheres are interrelated directly or indirectly, and interact each other. Any big tree or big forest without exception has its beginning as a tiny seed. When we think of this fact, the significance for the rediscovery and reevaluation of a virtuoso in music composition is too profound to ignore. Friedrich Kuhlau, in fact, is truly a virtuoso who will open the door to the unknown world of another Western music.
We, therefore, wish many would join the International Friedrich Kuhlau Society (IFKS) who are interested in the music of Kuhlau, and who agree with the objectives for its establishment.
Friedrich Kuhlau and His Works
Kuhlau is a German composer born in Uelzen in northern Germany in 1786. In 1810, however, he migrated to Denmark to free himself from the Napoleon War, and later naturalized to acquire Danish citizenship. Until his death, therefore, Kuhlau put himself mainly in music circles in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark. In other words, although a German by birth, Kuhlau became a Danish composer. This fact signifies the unfortunate life of Kuhlau in the music history.
In his short lived life and not well accepted by the music circle in his lifetime, Kuhlau has been known to compose more than 230 pieces of music and recognized as one of the representative music composers in Denmark. Beethoven, with whom Kuhlau developed friendship, praised him as the "master of canon," and many in his time evaluated the works highly.
Denmark in the former half of the 19th century was the time when unprecedented golden era in culture prospered with great masters such as H.C.Andersen (1805~75), Kierkegaar (1813~55), Grundvig (1824-83), J.L.Heiberg (1791~1860), Thovaldsen 1770~1844), Oehlenschläger (1779~1850), and Østed (1778~1860). Thus, works of Kuhlau were significantly influenced through interactions with these masters.
From the standpoint of music history, it would be correct to say that Kuhlau has been the pioneer in the development of Roman school of music in northern Europe since the early part of the 19th century. His style of music is based on that of Mozart whom Kuhlau respected greatly. At the same time, Kuhlau was most willing to apply to his own works the good characteristics of music composers in his contemporary such as Beethoven, Weber, Rossini, Cherubini, and others.
Kuhlau intentionally imitated the works of these great music composers, and then modified them to create the works of his own. They were, in fact, the products of hybrid cultures merging together those of the solemn northern German style, and fresh northern European lilics. Through these efforts Kuhlau was successful in creating unique artistic world of his own. Nevertheless, it is truly unfortunate that after his death most of the works have been forgotten except for only a few small lovely pieces composed for musical instruments.
