Schoeck, Othmar (1886–1957)

Swiss composer. As Switzerland's first major composer, Schoeck cultivated a lush and lyrical post-romanticism. He excelled in vocal music of all kinds and wrote many fine song cycles, often with chamber or orchestral accompaniment – for example Notturno (1933) and Lebendig Begraben (1947). He also wrote cantatas and several operas.

He was at first undecided whether to follow his father as a painter, but at 17 went to the Zürich Conservatory to study with Friedrich Niggli (1875–1959) and others, finishing with Max Reger at the Leipzig Conservatory. He conducted choral societies at Zürich 1907–17, and remained there when appointed conductor of the St Gall symphony concerts that year. The university conferred an honorary doctorate on him in 1928. His music was successfully performed in Germany during the Nazi era.

Works Opera Venus (after Mérimée, 1922), Penthesilea (after Kleist, 1927), Massimilla Doni (after Balzac, 1937), Das Schloss Dürande (after Eichendorff, 1943).

Choral Der Postillon (Lenau) for tenor solo, chorus, and orchestra (1909), Trommelschläge (Whitman's ‘Drum Taps’) for chorus and orchestra.

Orchestral Serenade for small orchestra, pastoral intermezzo Sommernacht (after Keller) for strings (1945), suite in A for strings, Lebendig begraben (Keller), song-cycle for baritone and orchestra, violin concerto, cello concerto (1947); horn concerto (1951).

Chamber and vocal two violin and piano sonatas; song-cycle Elegie with chamber orchestra (1923), Notturno with string quartet (1933); song-cycles with piano Wandsbecker Liederbuch (Matthias Claudius), Das stille Leuchten (C F Meyer), and many others.