Page 384 - Weiss, Jernej, ur./ed. 2023. Glasbena društva v dolgem 19. stoletju: med ljubiteljsko in profesionalno kulturo ▪︎ Music societies in the long 19th century: Between amateur and professional culture. Koper/Ljubljana: Založba Univerze na Primorskem in Festival Ljubljana. Studia musicologica Labacensia, 6
P. 384
glasbena društva v dolgem 19. stoletju: med ljubiteljsko in profesionalno kulturo
school year, followed by Hanns Ritter von Villefort (1858–?).210 The Sloveni-
an members gradually left the school and the number of pupils decreased
as the new and competitive school of the National Reading Society, direct-
ed by Josef Steinberger, attracted more Slovenians.
The rebirth of the association and the school occurred with the arriv-
al of Erich Wolf Degner (1858–1908). He was not appointed Kapellmeister,
as was the custom in the past, but head of the music school and artistic di-
rector. Degner reformed the curriculum along the lines of the Munich Mu-
sic School, and introduced compulsory lessons in music theory and choral
singing, as well as optional lessons in music history.211 In addition to Degn-
er, who taught piano and theoretical subjects as director, there were several
other teachers from abroad. The school acquired a good reputation and was
upgraded to a public music school in 1885. Degner also devoted himself to
concert life in Ptuj and performances of symphonic music.212 He strength-
ened the orchestra with musicians from the music associations in Celje,
Maribor, Graz and the infantry regiment No. 47 from Maribor. Even after
his departure for Graz, he remained supportive of the Ptuj Music Associ-
ation. He specially prepared his pupil Hermann Kundigraber (1879–1944)
for the music school in Ptuj. Later, two other students of Degner, Maria
September 1883 to September 1886 he was a teacher at the music school of the Read-
ing Society in Ptuj. Between 1886 and 1890 he studied organ at the Vienna Con-
servatory. See: Státní oblastní archiv v Litoměřicíh, Řimskokatl. f.ú., Žabokliky, Sig.
18817, Geburtsbuch 1784–1878, fol. 72.
210 Hanns Ritter von Villefort (originally Johann Maria Josef Villefort) was born in
Graz on 10 January 1858, the son of Franz de Paula Villefort and Karolina Neuwirth.
In the early 1870s he studied violin at the Music Association for Styria in Graz with
the Prague violinist Ferdinand Caspar. In the late 1870s he was a member of the the-
atre orchestra in Graz. From October 1880 to June 1884 he was Kapellmeister and
violin teacher at the Celje Music Association. In 1884 he moved to Ptuj, where he
stayed for a year. From 1877 on he went by the name Hanns Ritter von Villefort. See:
Steiermark: Rk. Diözese Graz-Seckau, Graz-Hl.Blut, sig. 6398, Taufbuch 1857–1864,
fol. 13; Anon., “Zöglings-Concert des Musikvereines für Steiermark,” Amtsblatt zur
Grazer Zeitung, July 28, 1874, 3; Ferdinand Mayr, Grazer Geschäfts- und Adreß Kal
ender für das Jahr 1878 (Graz: Im Selbsverlage des Herausgebers, 1878), 251.
211 Hasl, Zgodovina glasbene šole v Ptuju, 9.
212 Among the most important musical events under the direction of Degner were the
concert for the 100th birthday anniversary of C. M. Weber, at which only his works
were performed, and a concert for the 10th anniversary of the founding of the mu-
sic association, at which the works of Richard Wagner were performed. See: Ptuj,
Zgodovinski arhiv Ptuj, Kurzgefasste Vereinsgeschichte des Pettauer Musikvereines:
1878–1919, 9; Ptujsko glasbeno društvo 1878–1921, Kronika društva 1878–1920, sig.
ZAP/0006/009, AŠ 28, No. 7/1, fol. 21–22.
382
school year, followed by Hanns Ritter von Villefort (1858–?).210 The Sloveni-
an members gradually left the school and the number of pupils decreased
as the new and competitive school of the National Reading Society, direct-
ed by Josef Steinberger, attracted more Slovenians.
The rebirth of the association and the school occurred with the arriv-
al of Erich Wolf Degner (1858–1908). He was not appointed Kapellmeister,
as was the custom in the past, but head of the music school and artistic di-
rector. Degner reformed the curriculum along the lines of the Munich Mu-
sic School, and introduced compulsory lessons in music theory and choral
singing, as well as optional lessons in music history.211 In addition to Degn-
er, who taught piano and theoretical subjects as director, there were several
other teachers from abroad. The school acquired a good reputation and was
upgraded to a public music school in 1885. Degner also devoted himself to
concert life in Ptuj and performances of symphonic music.212 He strength-
ened the orchestra with musicians from the music associations in Celje,
Maribor, Graz and the infantry regiment No. 47 from Maribor. Even after
his departure for Graz, he remained supportive of the Ptuj Music Associ-
ation. He specially prepared his pupil Hermann Kundigraber (1879–1944)
for the music school in Ptuj. Later, two other students of Degner, Maria
September 1883 to September 1886 he was a teacher at the music school of the Read-
ing Society in Ptuj. Between 1886 and 1890 he studied organ at the Vienna Con-
servatory. See: Státní oblastní archiv v Litoměřicíh, Řimskokatl. f.ú., Žabokliky, Sig.
18817, Geburtsbuch 1784–1878, fol. 72.
210 Hanns Ritter von Villefort (originally Johann Maria Josef Villefort) was born in
Graz on 10 January 1858, the son of Franz de Paula Villefort and Karolina Neuwirth.
In the early 1870s he studied violin at the Music Association for Styria in Graz with
the Prague violinist Ferdinand Caspar. In the late 1870s he was a member of the the-
atre orchestra in Graz. From October 1880 to June 1884 he was Kapellmeister and
violin teacher at the Celje Music Association. In 1884 he moved to Ptuj, where he
stayed for a year. From 1877 on he went by the name Hanns Ritter von Villefort. See:
Steiermark: Rk. Diözese Graz-Seckau, Graz-Hl.Blut, sig. 6398, Taufbuch 1857–1864,
fol. 13; Anon., “Zöglings-Concert des Musikvereines für Steiermark,” Amtsblatt zur
Grazer Zeitung, July 28, 1874, 3; Ferdinand Mayr, Grazer Geschäfts- und Adreß Kal
ender für das Jahr 1878 (Graz: Im Selbsverlage des Herausgebers, 1878), 251.
211 Hasl, Zgodovina glasbene šole v Ptuju, 9.
212 Among the most important musical events under the direction of Degner were the
concert for the 100th birthday anniversary of C. M. Weber, at which only his works
were performed, and a concert for the 10th anniversary of the founding of the mu-
sic association, at which the works of Richard Wagner were performed. See: Ptuj,
Zgodovinski arhiv Ptuj, Kurzgefasste Vereinsgeschichte des Pettauer Musikvereines:
1878–1919, 9; Ptujsko glasbeno društvo 1878–1921, Kronika društva 1878–1920, sig.
ZAP/0006/009, AŠ 28, No. 7/1, fol. 21–22.
382
