Porträt Robert Franz (1815-1892)

Portrait of Robert Franz. On this page, the German composer and conductor Robert Franz is portrayed as an all-figure portrait. He stands upright facing to the left and looking. His right hand lies on a music stand in front of him. He hides his left hand behind his back, apparently holding a scroll behind his back, showing the number in 1889. The music book on the pulse bears the inscription “Franz Album.” The composer is in the midst of an indefinable but flourishing, wild landscape through which two lettering tapes meander. On the one hand, the date of birth of the Hallenser is noted. On the larger font area, Richard Wintzer’s birthday wishes are read on the right, and the first system of the song “Wasserfahrt” with singing and piano accompaniment is shown on the left. In the background a few birds fly away. Robert Franz studied composition in Dessau and held important positions on his return to Halle, such as the position of the organist at the Ulrichskirche, as conductor of the Singschule and from 1859 as university music director. His great merit is the reestablishment of Handel’s oratorios, which he worked on for this purpose. The leaf was executed as a pen drawing and is a birthday greeting to Robert Franz for his 74th birthday. Therefore, there should be no other specimens in other collections. Draftsman and illustrator Richard Wintzer (1866-1952) was himself a composer and music critic in Berlin and stood the “five last years of his life in personal and professional traffic” with Robert Franz (quoted after Musketa, Konstanze: Zum Robert-Franz-Reception in Halle, p. 291, in: Robert Franz 1815-1892, writings of the Handel House in Halle Volume 9, Halle 1993). Signature: R. Wintzer 89. Inscription: The most sincere veneration allows us to send the heartiest congratulations. Richard Wintzer. Berlin d. 28 June 1889. (Stiftung Händel-Haus Halle Foundation)