Jean Jules Auguste Wiernsberger (5 July 1857 – 15 December 1925) was a French composer from
Alsace.
Life and music
Wiernsberger was born in
Mulhouse.[1] He received his first music lessons from his father Jean Wiernsberger (1833–1890) and left Alsace following the annexation of 1871 with his family to settle in Paris. He then entered the
Paris Conservatory where he was a pupil of
Émile Durand,
Napoléon Henri Reber and
Antoine Marmontel.[2] He obtained a second prize for piano in 1876 and continued his studies in Basel.
On his return to France in 1878, he settled in
Reims, taking an active part in local musical life. He was a music teacher, directed the choir Alsace-Lorraine Orphéon, and from 1884 the choirs of the Reims Philharmonic Society. His opera Rioval was premiered at the Opéra de Reims on 18 February 1886.[3] His lyrical drama Rosemonde was created in
Tournai on 25 February 1892.[4]
His Violin Sonata, Op. 32 was awarded first prize by the Société des Compositeurs de Musique in 1896.[5] From 1897 to 1899, he was editor of the Revue musicale Sainte-Cécile. In 1899, he won the Chartier Prize of the
Institut de France for his chamber music production and was awarded the "Palmes académiques"[6] (in 1905 he was promoted to the rank of "Officier de l'instruction publique").[7]
Wiernsberger settled in Paris, was artistic secretary of the
Gaveau piano factory and published light music under the pseudonym Nestor Sappé. It was under this name that he took legal action against
SACEM,[8] which he won,[9] concerning a dispute over the redistribution of copyright. Later he edited numerous works by composers of the baroque and classical periods for the publisher
Heugel for educational purposes.
As a composer he mainly wrote "mélodies" (art songs), piano pieces and chamber music.
Chansons lointaines. Six mélodies (Pierre Reyniel) (1924)
Choral music
Chanson des blés. Choeur à 3 voix égales (Paul Miret) (1880)
En guerre!, for 4-part male choir, Op. 12 (1882)
References
^Constant Pierre: Le Conservatoire national de musique et de déclamation. Documents historiques et administratifs, recueillis ou reconstitués (Paris: Imprimerie nationale, 1900), p. 870.
^Angers-Artiste. Organe des concerts, du théâtre et de la Société des amis des arts, 15 November 1890.
^Annuaire de la Société des auteurs et compositeurs dramatiques (Paris, 1886).
^Annuaire de la Société des auteurs et compositeurs dramatiques (Paris, 1893).