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The discovery of composer Hans Rott has justly been
called "the musicological discovery of the 1990s"1.
First and foremost it was his only finished symphony,
which had been rediscovered only two decades ago and
performed for the very first time in 1989, which caused
sensation for it shows various parallels to the symphonic
œuvre of Rott's fellow student Gustav Mahler. It thus
anticipates essential elements of a symphonic style
Mahler hitherto had been considered to have exclusively
originated. Convergences in theme, harmony and structure
with Mahler's Second, Third and Fifth Symphony have
been proved2.
Hans Rott was born on August 1, 1858 in Vienna; following
private lessons, secondary school and a two years' interlude
at a commercial school, he registered at the Viennese
Conservatoire for the winter term of 1874/75; his teachers
are among others: Hermann Grädener, Franz Krenn and
Anton Bruckner. He receives his diploma in August 1878.
During his studies at the Conservatoire Rott, besides
various plans, sketches and drafts, composes a Symphony
for String Orchestra (no. 37; 1874/75)3,
lieder, a Prelude for Orchestra (no. 32; 1876), a prelude
to Julius Caesar (no. 40; 1877) and a Suite for Orchestra
of two movements (no. 33; 1878).
The earliest hint on the Symphony in E major can be
found in Rott's letter to his friend Heinrich Krzyzanowski
dated May 6, 1878:
"The forthcoming end of term at the Conservatoire
is keeping me busy; I still have nothing ready for
it; the score of the second movement of a suite for
orchestra will soon be finished and thus I would be
prepared for the examination which will take place
on the 27th May. As for the symphony I have begun
for the competition, I have not got further than the
main theme. [...] the more I make every effort to
receive the grant by my symphony which will get its
strength from my enthusiasm for 500 fl."4
The completion of the composition studies at the Viennese
Conservatoire consisted of an examination in composition
fixed for May 27, for which Rott planned to present
a suite for orchestra5,
and a composition contest, which Rott called "Concurs",
for which he had "started on" a symphony. A successful
graduation was to win him the fine sum of 500 florins
(fl = florins). Rott was extremely pressed for time
as he reports to the same friend on May 18; at the same
time he gives more detailed information about the context
of the examination in composition and the "Concurs":
"As for me I am pretty down, in the word's flattest
and most disgusting meaning. Monday, 27th of this
month, there will be the examination in composition,
for which I will have to hold the first rehearsal
on Tuesday (like Rudolf [sc.: Krzyzanowski; brother
of the addressee]). Tomorrow, Sunday, comes the copyist
and I have hardly copied half of the parts which means
I have to do the greater part of it tonight. So you
will fully understand my gloominess which will become
even more profound when you learn what I will tell
further down. - The above examination will have very
bad results this year following Hellmensberger's forecast,
for he plans to have every presented piece played
only once and if there are more than six mistakes
in it, the score will be presented to the honourable
jury. Besides, they will be very severe with this
procedure and only the best will be admitted to the
Concurs [competition]. For the examination Rudolf
presents his opus aeternum "Zacconi" and for the competition
the first movement of the symphony. Presently, I'm
at a loose end with mine."6
We learn that Rott, hardly ten days prior to the examination
held on May 27, is busy copying parts of his suite and
also that he has asked a copyist to come and see him
on Sunday, May 19 and that the first rehearsal had been
fixed for Tuesday, May 21. Obviously Rott wants to have
the copying of the parts done before the copyist is
due who has to either make further copies of the parts
or a fair copy of the score. Furthermore Rott informs
that only "the best" will be admitted to the "Concurs,
i.e. those who have passed the examination. Unlike his
fellow student Rudolf Krzyzanowski Rott is still "at
a loose end" with his contribution to the "Concurs";
for this is what the word "mine" in the last sentence
certainly refers to, as Rott has finished composing
and is now busy copying his contribution, the Suite
for Orchestra, to the examination on May 27. That means
that he has not got on with his symphony movement. Three
days after the examination, on May 30, Rott informs
his friend of the result and reports on the further
procedure:
"Until now I was and I still am busy with the disgusting
examination bustle from which I cannot flee until
after the competition. On the 1st of July the examination
in music history is held, and on the 15th of June
the one in literary history. The result of the examination
[sc.: of May 27] has been awful, because all of us
had been admitted to the competition considering the
fact that all of us students are to pass the second
term. With my pieces the fact had been decisive that
I have quitted "Wagner-ing" for which I was rewarded
with the licence to take part in the Concurs! Since
my last letter I did not do a stroke of work on the
movement of my symphony. I think of saving the theme
for a composition not to be presented at any competition
and of writing a "more ardent" movement than the present
one, as Krenn already told me to cut the theme short.
If things continue the way they are now I will neither
write something "ardent" nor anything else [...] But
I have to fully concentrate on the "Concurs" because
of the grant".7
He had passed the examination with success, however
with a drop of bitterness for all candidates had been
admitted to the "Concurs", and on technical grounds
at that: all of the same age-class thought of graduating
from the Conservatoire! His self-consciousness as a
composer was awakened, and the "Concurs" was no longer
the only goal now which he wanted to reach by composing
the planned symphony. His professor of composition Franz
Krenn's doubts only encouraged him in his plans to write
a "more ardent" composition. We may assume that Rott
believed he could leave behind the narrow rules of academic
composing - no surprising resolution considering the
(in the early and the final version identical) range
of 28 bars of the main theme. However he firmly concentrates
on the "Concurs" for practical reasons; he obviously
faces financial difficulties and hopes to gain the "grant",
the payment of the last instalment of his scholarship
which obviously depended on the successful graduation
from the Conservatoire.
Part 2
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