Role

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Composer

Genre

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Vocal

 

Max Stange was a German composer born on January 15, 1895, in Berlin. He was the youngest of three children born to a family of musicians. His father, a violinist, and his mother, a pianist, were both members of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Stange's siblings also pursued careers in music, with his older brother becoming a cellist and his sister a soprano. Stange showed an early interest in music and began taking piano lessons at the age of five. He later studied composition with renowned German composer Max Bruch. Stange's early works were heavily influenced by the Romantic era, with lush harmonies and sweeping melodies. In 1914, Stange was drafted into the German army to fight in World War I. He served as a medic and was stationed on the Western Front. During his time in the army, Stange continued to compose music, often using his experiences on the battlefield as inspiration. His wartime compositions were marked by a darker, more somber tone than his earlier works. After the war, Stange returned to Berlin and resumed his studies with Bruch. He also began to establish himself as a composer, with several of his works being performed by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1922, Stange married his longtime girlfriend, a fellow musician named Anna Schmidt. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, Stange continued to compose music, with many of his works being performed throughout Germany and Europe. He also taught composition at the Berlin Conservatory, where he mentored several young composers who would go on to achieve success in their own right. In 1933, the Nazi party came to power in Germany, and Stange's career was threatened. He was labeled a "degenerate" artist and his music was banned from public performance. Stange was forced to go into hiding, and he and his wife fled to Switzerland. Despite the challenges he faced, Stange continued to compose music while in exile. His works during this period were marked by a sense of longing and nostalgia for his homeland. In 1945, after the end of World War II, Stange returned to Germany and resumed his career as a composer and teacher. Stange's later works were more experimental in nature, incorporating elements of atonality and serialism. He also began to incorporate electronic instruments into his compositions, which was a relatively new development in classical music at the time. Some of Stange's most notable works include his Symphony No. 1, which was premiered by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in 1925, and his Piano Concerto, which was first performed in 1932. He also composed several operas, including The Soldier's Tale, which was based on a story by Russian author Nikolai Gogol. Stange's music has been praised for its emotional depth and technical skill. His works are often characterized by their use of rich harmonies and complex rhythms. Despite the challenges he faced during his lifetime, Stange remained dedicated to his craft and continued to create music until his death on June 12, 1969, in Berlin.

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