Hermann Gustav Goetz (born Königsberg, December 7, 1840, died Hottingen, December 3, 1876) was a German composer.
After studying in Berlin, he moved to Switzerland in 1863. After ten years spent as a critic, pianist and conductor as well, he spent the last three years of his life composing. Goetz's compositions include a symphony, two piano concertos, a violin concerto in one movement, much piano music, a piano trio, piano quartet, piano quintet, and sonata for piano four-hands (two players). There are also two operas, Der Widerspänstigen Zähmung based on Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew and Francesca da Rimini based on Dante.
After studying in Berlin, he moved to Switzerland in 1863. After ten years spent as a critic, pianist and conductor as well, he spent the last three years of his life composing.
Goetz's compositions include a symphony, two piano concertos, a violin concerto in one movement, much piano music, a piano trio, piano quartet, piano quintet, and sonata for piano four-hands (two players). There are also two operas, Der Widerspänstigen Zähmung based on Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew and Francesca da Rimini based on Dante. Although Goetz showed active interest in the important artistic trends of his own time (on the one hand Liszt and Wagner, on the other Brahms), his own compositional style was more influenced by Mozart and Mendelssohn, and to a lesser degree by Schumann. Goetz's music is defined by lyricism and great clarity, and in general terms can be defined as quiet and introverted. Goetz almost completely avoided spectacular effects. Great mastery of compositional technique is characteristic of Goetz's style, which is particularly apparent in the connectedness of motifs and the technical depth of movements.
For a long time, Goetz was almost forgotten, although Gustav Mahler performed a number of his works; only since the 1990s have his works been regarded once more as of importance.
Goetz was no radical forger of new musical paths, but rather a composer in total control of his compositional technique, and whose works through their high standard give lie to the labelling of Goetz as a composer of the lower order.
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