Page 412 - 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. 412
glasbena društva v dolgem 19. stoletju: med ljubiteljsko in profesionalno kulturo
na. However, his existing works testify to the inventiveness and versatile
abilities of the author.
Khom was born in Linz on September 16, 1825. He received his first
music lessons from his mother, an excellent pianist.5 Later, “he studied at
the Akademisches Gymnasium in Linz and practiced music above all,”6 ac-
cording to Steska. In 1843, he went to Vienna to study music and in 1846
he broke off his studies and went to Klagenfurt, where he became “choir
master at the Klagenfurter Liedertafel”7 and conductor in the theatre
(Theaterkapellmeister).8
The years in Klagenfurt were undoubtedly decisive for the young mu-
sician. He began to devote himself more intensively to music in connec-
tion with the theatre, which later constituted the main part of his crea-
tive work. In addition, he matured as a conductor. In Klagenfurt he also
became acquainted with folk songs, not only in German, but probably for
the first time also in Slovene. At the same time, he became more and more
enthusiastic about male choral singing. He had already become acquaint-
ed with it during his studies in Vienna, and in Klagenfurt he devoted him-
self to it particularly intensively. In the literature he is even referred to as
one of the central founders of organized singing in Carinthia. On his in-
itiative, the Klagenfurt Men’s Singing Society (Männergesangverein) was
founded at the end of 1847. Sources report that “the then theatre conduc
tor Alfred Khom, [...] encouraged by the improvised singing of some singing
friends on New Year’s Eve 1846/47, came up with the idea of founding a sing
ing club.”9 From this idea a singing quartet was born under the leadership
of Khom.10 The quartet attracted listeners and singers who wanted to join
it. From this developed the idea of an organized association of singers in
the newly formed Men’s Singing Society. The founding of the society, which
proclaimed not only changing aesthetic ideas but also new political con-
5 Hilscher, “Khom (Chom), Alfred,” 993.
6 Viktor Steska, “Iz slovenske glasbene prošlosti: Javna glasbena šola v Ljubljani od
leta 1816. do 1875. (Konec),” Cerkveni glasbenik 52, no. 11–12 (1929): 179, http://www.
dlib.si/?URN=URN:NBN:SI:DOC-O136HSB9.
7 Ibid.
8 Hilscher, “Khom (Chom), Alfred,” 993.
9 “[…] damalige Theaterkapellmeister in Klagenfurt Alfred Khom, welcher […] ange
regt durch den improvisierten Gesang einiger Gesangsfreunde in der Sylvesternacht
1846/47, die Bildung eines Gesangvereines ins Auge faßte.” Günther Antesberger, Kla
genfurter Musikleben in der ersten Hälfte des 19. Jahrhunderts (Klagenfurt: Magist-
rat der Landeshauptstadt Klagenfurt, Kulturamt, 1978), 138.
10 Ibid.
410
na. However, his existing works testify to the inventiveness and versatile
abilities of the author.
Khom was born in Linz on September 16, 1825. He received his first
music lessons from his mother, an excellent pianist.5 Later, “he studied at
the Akademisches Gymnasium in Linz and practiced music above all,”6 ac-
cording to Steska. In 1843, he went to Vienna to study music and in 1846
he broke off his studies and went to Klagenfurt, where he became “choir
master at the Klagenfurter Liedertafel”7 and conductor in the theatre
(Theaterkapellmeister).8
The years in Klagenfurt were undoubtedly decisive for the young mu-
sician. He began to devote himself more intensively to music in connec-
tion with the theatre, which later constituted the main part of his crea-
tive work. In addition, he matured as a conductor. In Klagenfurt he also
became acquainted with folk songs, not only in German, but probably for
the first time also in Slovene. At the same time, he became more and more
enthusiastic about male choral singing. He had already become acquaint-
ed with it during his studies in Vienna, and in Klagenfurt he devoted him-
self to it particularly intensively. In the literature he is even referred to as
one of the central founders of organized singing in Carinthia. On his in-
itiative, the Klagenfurt Men’s Singing Society (Männergesangverein) was
founded at the end of 1847. Sources report that “the then theatre conduc
tor Alfred Khom, [...] encouraged by the improvised singing of some singing
friends on New Year’s Eve 1846/47, came up with the idea of founding a sing
ing club.”9 From this idea a singing quartet was born under the leadership
of Khom.10 The quartet attracted listeners and singers who wanted to join
it. From this developed the idea of an organized association of singers in
the newly formed Men’s Singing Society. The founding of the society, which
proclaimed not only changing aesthetic ideas but also new political con-
5 Hilscher, “Khom (Chom), Alfred,” 993.
6 Viktor Steska, “Iz slovenske glasbene prošlosti: Javna glasbena šola v Ljubljani od
leta 1816. do 1875. (Konec),” Cerkveni glasbenik 52, no. 11–12 (1929): 179, http://www.
dlib.si/?URN=URN:NBN:SI:DOC-O136HSB9.
7 Ibid.
8 Hilscher, “Khom (Chom), Alfred,” 993.
9 “[…] damalige Theaterkapellmeister in Klagenfurt Alfred Khom, welcher […] ange
regt durch den improvisierten Gesang einiger Gesangsfreunde in der Sylvesternacht
1846/47, die Bildung eines Gesangvereines ins Auge faßte.” Günther Antesberger, Kla
genfurter Musikleben in der ersten Hälfte des 19. Jahrhunderts (Klagenfurt: Magist-
rat der Landeshauptstadt Klagenfurt, Kulturamt, 1978), 138.
10 Ibid.
410
