JAVS Summer 2025

Potpourri aus “Lohengrin” based on the original opera by Richard Wagner (1813–1883), arranged by Friedrich Hermann (1828–1907) While many operatic transcriptions for viola are highly virtuosic and intended for professional performers—often originally scored with orchestral accompaniment— Potpourri aus “Lohengrin” occupies a different category. Designed for the amateur market, this arrangement nevertheless features melodious and lyrical selections that make it a fitting prelude to a recital program. Richard Wagner holds an unassailable place in operatic history. His opera “Lohengrin,” in three acts, premiered on August 28, 1850, at the Großherzogliches Hoftheater in Weimar (a theater now lost to history), conducted by Franz Liszt. Wagner himself was absent from the premiere, as he had fled political persecution and was living in exile in Switzerland under a false passport. He did not hear the work performed until May 15, 1861, in Vienna. “Lohengrin” left a profound impression on audiences and became a cultural touchstone. Germany, home to the largest number of castles in the world, boasts the iconic Schloss Neuschwanstein (New Swan Stone Castle), inspired by Wagner’s operas—particularly Lohengrin— and designed by King Ludwig II of Bavaria (1845–1886), one of Wagner’s most ardent patrons. Ludwig, who first heard Lohengrin at age fifteen, was enthralled by Wagner’s music. Upon ascending the throne at eighteen, he summoned the composer, paid off his debts, and later funded the construction of the Bayreuther Festspielhaus, the famed theater dedicated to Wagner’s works. Though the cost of building Neuschwanstein plunged the king into debt and led to his forced abdication, the castle has since become one of Germany’s most visited tourist destinations, with annual tourism revenue far exceeding its original construction costs. 2 One of the opera’s best-known melodies—the Bridal Chorus (“Here Comes the Bride”)—remains a staple at Western weddings, alongside the Wedding March from Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream . However, Wagner’s legacy remains controversial, particularly due to his writings on Judaism and the later appropriation of his music by the Nazi regime. Although Wagner’s antisemitic views are documented, it is important to note that Lohengrin predates the rise of Nazism by several decades.

Figure 2. Interior of Schloss Neuschwanstein.

The opera itself is based on a medieval German legend about a mysterious knight who arrives in a swan-drawn boat to defend Princess Elsa and ultimately marries her— on the condition that she never ask his name. When she breaks this vow, he reveals his identity as Lohengrin and departs. Wagner first encountered the Lohengrin legend around 1841/42 through a synopsis and commentary presented by the Königsberg Germanic Society. As with many of his works, Wagner wrote both the libretto and the music. He completed the full score between January and April 1848. 3 The arranger of this Potpourri, Friedrich Hermann (1828 1907), was a distinguished violinist, violist, composer, and pedagogue. He entered the Leipzig Conservatory in 1843 as one of its earliest students. There, he studied composition with Felix Mendelssohn and violin with Ferdinand David (1810-1873), two towering figures of the Romantic era. At age eighteen, Hermann was appointed principal violist of the Gewandhaus Orchestra and began teaching at the Leipzig Conservatory just one year later. Today, he is primarily remembered for his pedagogical editions for violin and viola, published by Peters and Augener, and for his Concert Studies for Viola, Op. 18. The amateur orientation of Potpourri aus “Lohengrin” is evident in its original scoring for viola and piano (rather than orchestra), with the piano often taking a leading role. Hermann also arranged versions for violin and cello, all published between 1896 and 1899. He created several other brief arrangements from Lohengrin for violin or violin ensemble as well. True to the potpourri tradition— the term originally referring to a mixture of dried flowers used to fragrance a room—Hermann selected and

Journal of the American Viola Society / Vol. 41, Summer 2025 Online Issue

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