Ernst Toch

Short bio Ernst Toch

Birthday: 1887 in Vienna, Austria

Died: 1964 in Los Angeles, CA

Genre: Classical

Period: 20th Century, Modern

Full biography Ernst Toch

Ernest Toch was an Austrian composer born on December 7, 1887, in Vienna, Austria-Hungary (now Austria). He was known for his compositions that perfectly fused elements from the classical tradition with modern musical tastes , making him one of the most celebrated composers of Weimar Germany.

Toch composed music for several films, and in 1935, he wrote eleven works for the production company Paramount. His music was nominated for Academy Awards in 1935, 1941, and 1944. In December 1935, one of his composed pieces for the adventure film was released in the United States.

Toch wrote eight string quartets before the war and five afterward. Late in his life, despite his earlier prominence in Weimar , Germany, Ernest Toch sadly assessed his standing as the world's most forgotten composer.

Toch fled Nazi Germany for California and continued composing music. He became a US citizen in 1940. Although known primarily for his chamber music , Toch began writing symphonies when he was in his sixties. Classical Net Review highlights some of his symphonies as significant.

Ernst Toch was an accomplished composer who has left a significant mark on the world of music through his various works in film and classical music.

Compositions featuring Ernst Toch

#	Name	Duration	Genre	Year
1	Quartet, Op. 98	8:17 min	Chamber Music	1964
2	Jephta, rhapsodic poem for orchestra ("Symphony 5"), Op. 89	23:23 min	Symphony	1963
3	Impromptus (3), for cello, Op. 90c	7:53 min	Chamber Music	1963
4	Impromptus (3) for viola, Op. 90b	7:56 min	Chamber Music	1963
5	Pieces (5) for Winds and Percussion, Op. 83	17:04 min	Chamber Music	1959
6	Symphony No. 4 for speaker & orchestra, Op. 80	26:42 min	Symphony	1957
7	Peter Pan, a fairy tale for orchestra, Op. 76	13:15 min	Orchestral	1956
8	Symphony No. 3	27:48 min	Symphony	1954
9	String Quartet No. 13, Op. 74	25:26 min	Chamber Music	1954
10	Notturno for orchestra, Op. 77	9:21 min	Orchestral	1953
11	Symphony No. 2, Op. 73	32:25 min	Symphony	1951
12	Symphony No. 1, Op. 72	39:55 min	Symphony	1950
13	The Covenant (The Rainbow), for narrator & orchestra (for collaborative cantata "Genesis Suite")	5:26 min	Choral	1943
14	String Quartet No. 12, Op. 70	27:52 min	Chamber Music	194?
15	Piano Quintet, Op. 64	37:01 min	Chamber Music	1938
16	Cantata of the Bitter Herbs, for soloists, chorus & orchestra, Op. 65	39:44 min	Choral	1938
17	String Trio, Op. 63	26:23 min	Chamber Music	1936
18	Pinocchio, a Merry Overture	7:42 min	Orchestral	1935
19	Big Ben, variation fantasy on the Westminster Chimes, for orchestra, Op. 62	16:23 min	Orchestral	1934
20	Symphony for piano & orchestra, Op. 61	31:23 min	Symphony	1933
21	Beginner Etudes (10) for piano, Op. 59	7:52 min	Keyboard	1931
22	Intermediate Etudes (10) for piano, Op. 57	13:36 min	Keyboard	1931
23	Der Fuge aus Geographie (The Geographical Fugue) for speaking chorus	3:04 min	Choral	1930
24	Egon und Emilie, for voice, speaker & orchestra, Op. 46	13:15 min	Vocal Music	1928
25	Sonata for violin & piano No. 2, Op. 44	13:22 min	Chamber Music	1928
26	Miniature Overture, for winds	2:40 min	Band Music	1926
27	Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 38	29:21 min	Concerto	1926
28	Spiel, for wind ensemble, Op. 39	8:32 min	Orchestral	1926
29	Divertimento for violin & cello, Op. 37/1	6:46 min	Chamber Music	1926
30	Pieces (3) for piano, Op. 32	5:37 min	Keyboard	1925
31	String Quartet No. 11, Op. 34	28:04 min	Chamber Music	1924
32	Burlesken for piano, Op. 31	8:49 min	Keyboard	1923
33	String Quartet No. 8 in D flat major, Op. 18	37:00 min	Orchestral	1910
34	String Quartet No. 6 in A major, Op. 12	37:29 min	Chamber Music	1905
35	Capriccetti for piano, Op. 36	6:45 min	Keyboard	-
36	Cello Sonata, Op. 50	14:28 min	Chamber Music	-
37	Concerto for cello & chamber orchestra, Op. 35	27:45 min	Concerto	-
38	Symphonies		Symphony	-
39	Variations on Peter's Song, for cello & piano	4:42 min	Chamber Music	-
40	Study 4: Der Jongleur (arrangement of Burleske, Op. 31/3), for player piano	1:43 min	Keyboard	-
41	Bunte Suite, for orchestra, Op. 48	21:38 min	Orchestral	-
42	Symphony No. 6, Op. 93	22:38 min	Symphony	-
43	Symphony No. 7, Op. 95	22:18 min	Symphony	-
44	Tanz-Suite, Op. 30	29:22 min	Orchestral	-
45	The Chinese Flute, for chamber orchestra, Op. 29	24:03 min	Orchestral	-
46	Adagio elegiaco, for clarinet & piano	3:14 min	Chamber Music	-
47	Variations on Mozart's "Unser Pöbel meint" (K. 455), for piano & orchestra	13:54 min	Concerto	-
48	Konzert-Etüden for piano, Op. 55	22:35 min	Keyboard	-
49	Studies (3), for player piano	5:03 min	Keyboard	-
50	Dedication for string quartet	4:08 min	Chamber Music	-
51	String Quartets		Chamber Music	-
52	Der Jongleur, burkeske for piano, Op. 31/3	2:01 min	Keyboard	-
53	String Quartet No. 10, Op. 28	30:28 min	Chamber Music	-
54	String Quartet No. 9 in C major, Op. 26	27:12 min	Chamber Music	-
55	String Quartet No. 1 in G major, Op. 15	26:43 min	Chamber Music	-
56	Sonata for violin & piano, Op. 21	27:12 min	Chamber Music	-
57	Sonata for piano, Op. 47	7:32 min	Keyboard	-
58	Sonata for piano, four-hands, Op. 87	7:59 min	Keyboard	-
59	Scherzo for piano in B minor, Op. 11	5:29 min	Keyboard	-
60	Profile, for piano, Op. 68/3	1:28 min	Keyboard	-
61	Divertimento for violin & cello, Op. 37/2	7:02 min	Chamber Music	-
62	Divertimentos for 2 strings, Op. 37		Chamber Music	-
63	Kleinstadtbilder, for piano, Op. 49	12:12 min	Keyboard	-

Albums featuring Ernst Toch

#	Name album	Year	Music label
1	John J. Becker, Ernst Toch, Ruth Crawford, Stefan Wolpe, Peggy Glanville-Hicks, Robert Erickson, Kenneth Gaburo, Pauline Oliveros, John McCaughey, The Astra Choir – Unsettled Choruses: A Terrain Of Humming And Phonetics 1930-74(CD, )	2023	New World Records
2	Ernst Toch / Buchberger Quartett, Verdi Quartett – Eight String Quartets(4×CD, Compilation)	2020	cpo
3	Ernst Toch, Wolfgang Fortner, Samuel Adler, Giselher Klebe, Friedemann Döling – New Works For Cello Solo(CD, Album)	2017	TYXart
4	Ernst Toch, Anna Magdalena Kokits – Solo Piano Pieces(CD, Album)	2017	Capriccio (2)
5	Hindemith / Toch / Milhaud / Stravinsky / De La Presle - Quatuor Calidore – Sérénade(CD, Album)	2015	Editions Hortus
6	Ernst Toch, Spectrum Concerts Berlin – Violin Sonata No. 1 • Cello Sonata(CD, )	2014	Naxos
7	Ernst Toch - Mutare Ensemble, Gerhard Müller-Hornbach – Die Chinesische Flöte · Egon Und Emilie · Five Pieces · Quartett(CD, Album)	2011	cpo
8	Toch, Zurich String Quartet, Vienna String Trio – String Quartet No. 12 / String Trio, Op. 63(7×File, MP3)	2010	Naxos Classical Archives
9	Ernst Bachrich, Ernst Toch, Emanuel Moór, Rudolf Moser (2), Erwin Schulhoff – Jansa Duo – Rare Chamber Music Vol. I(SACD, Hybrid, Multichannel, Stereo, Album)	2009	Ars Produktion
10	Ernst Toch, Spectrum Concerts Berlin – Piano Quintet / Three Impromptus • Violin Sonata No. 2 • Burlesken	2008	Naxos
11	Ernst Toch, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Alun Francis – Complete Symphonies(3×CD, )	2006	cpo
12	Ernst Toch, Spectrum Concerts Berlin, Christian Poltéra – Tanz-Suite • Cello Concerto	2006	Naxos
13	Miniature Overture / Peter Pan / Notturno / Jephta(CD, Compilation)	2005	First Edition Music
14	Ernst Toch, Christian Seibert (2) – Piano Works(CD, Album, Stereo)	2004	cpo
15	Ernst Toch - Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Alun Francis – Symphonies 2 & 3(CD, Album)	2004	cpo
16	Ernst Toch - Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Alun Francis – Symphonies 1 & 4(CD, Album, Stereo)	2004	cpo
17	Ernst Toch, Theodore Bikel, Carol Meyer (2), Elizabeth Shammash, Richard Clement, Ted Christopher, Prague Philharmonic Choir, The Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Gerard Schwarz – Cantata Of The Bitter Herbs / Jephta, Rhapsodie Poem (Sympho	2004	Naxos
18	Ernst Toch, Buchberger Quartett – String Quartets 7 & 10 / Dedication(CD, )	2003	cpo
19	Ernst Toch - Susanne Müller-Hornbach, Mutare Ensemble, Gerhard Müller-Hornbach – Cello Concerto · Tanz-Suite(CD, Stereo)	2002	cpo
20	Ernst Toch - Verdi Quartett – String Quartets 8 & 9(CD, Album, Stereo)	2002	cpo
21	Ernst Toch / Verdi Quartett – String Quartets 6 & 12(CD, Album)	2002	cpo
22	Piano Concerto No. 1(CD, Album)	2002	New World Records
23	Ernst Toch, Buchberger Quartett – String Quartets 11 & 13(CD, Stereo)	2001	cpo
24	Ernst Toch – Steven Honigberg – Cello Sonata Op. 50 • Concerto For Cello And Chamber Orchestra Op. 35 • Impromptu For Cello Solo In Three Movements Op. 90c(CD, HDCD)	2000	Albany Records
25	Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Roger Epple, Paul Hindemith, Ernst Toch, Hans Gal – Music For Wind Ensemble And Concert Band(CD, Album)	2000	WERGO
26	Hindemith · Hartmann · Schoenberg · Blacher · Toch - Timothy Reynish, Clark Rundell, Royal Northern College Of Music Wind Orchestra – German Wind Band Classics(CD, )	2000	Chandos
27	Ernst Toch, Viviane Goergen – Etüden Und Burlesken(CD, Album, Stereo)	1999	Melisma (2)
28	Ernst Toch - Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Alun Francis – Symphonies 5-7(CD, Album, Stereo)	1997	cpo
29	Toch, Hindemith, Martin – Symphonie Nr. 3 / Mathis Der Maler / Petite Symphonie Concertante(CD, Compilation, Remastered)	1996	EMI Classics
30	Ernst Toch / Harry Somers / Francois Morel - The Louisville Orchestra, Lawrence Leighton Smith – Jephta. Rhapsodic Poem (Symphony No. 5) / Passacaglia And Fugue For Orchestra / Antiphonie(LP, Reissue, Stereo)	1987	First Edition Records
31	Szymanowski, Weber, Busoni, Toch - Evelinde Trenkner – Variations On A Polish Folk Tune / Invitation To The Dance / Fantasy On Bizet's "Carmen" / Three Burlesken(LP, Album, Stereo)	1980	Orion Master Recordings
32	In Memoriam(LP, Album)	1975	Educational Media Associates
33	Camerata Holmiæ, Monteverdi, Janequin, Milhaud, Toch, Börtz – Camerata Holmiæ(LP, Album, Stereo)	1974	Caprice Records
34	Zoltán Kodály, Joseph Haydn, Ernst Toch, The Schoenfeld Duo – Duo Op.7, Duet In D, Divertimento Op.37 No.1(LP, Album)	1972	Orion
35	Hector Tosar / Ernst Toch / Jacques Ibert / Yoav Talmi / Camargo Guarnieri - The Louisville Orchestra, Jorge Mester – Toccata / Miniature Overture / Bacchanale / Overture On Mexican Themes / Three Dances For Orchestra(LP)	1970	First Edition Records
36	Tubby Hayes, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Gordon Jacob, Pamela Verrall, Ernst Toch – Farnham Festival 1969(LP, Album, Compilation, Stereo)	1969	Erase (2)
37	Heifetz ‧ Piatigorsky With Jacob Lateiner And Stanford Schonbach / Brahms ‧ Boccherini ‧ Toch – Piano Quartette In C Minor ‧ Sonata In D ‧ Divertimento, Op. 37, No. 2	1968	RCA Victor Red Seal
38	Piano Concerto, Op. 38; Concerto for Cello and Chamber Orch, Op. 35	1968	Contemporary Records
39	Ernst Toch / Harry Somers / Francois Morel - The Louisville Orchestra, Jorge Mester – Jephta. Rhapsodic Poem (Symphony No. 5) / Passacaglia And Fugue For Orchestra / Antiphonie(LP)	1966	First Edition Records
40	Ernst Toch, Henry Cowell, Philadelphia Woodwind Quintet, Beaux Arts String Quartet – Five Pieces For Winds & Percussion Op.83, Sonatinetta For Flute Clarinet & Bassoon Op.84, String Quartet No.5 (1962)(LP, Album, Stereo)	1962	Columbia Masterworks
41	Ernst Toch - André Previn And The American Art Quartet – Quintet For Piano And Strings, Op. 64	1962	Contemporary Records
42	String Quartet No.10, Op. 28 / String Quartet No.13, Op.74(LP)	1961	Contemporary Records
43	Ernst Toch - André Previn And The American Art Quartet, Roth String Quartet – String Quartet No. 10, Op. 28/String Quartet No. 13, Op. 74(LP, Album, Stereo)	1961	Contemporary Records
44	String Quartet, Opus 70 & String Trio, Opus 63	1959	Contemporary Records
45	Dorothy Renzi Sings Ernst Toch, Marga Richter – The Chinese Flute / Transmutation / The Hermit / Fishing Picture	1958	MGM Records
46	Hindemith / Toch, William Steinberg Conducting The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra – Mathis Der Maler / Symphony No.3	1958	Capitol Records
47	Ernst Toch - The Westwood String Quartet – Quartet In D Flat Major, Op. 18 / Serenade (Spitzweg)(LP, Album)	1958	Stereo Records (4)
48	Peter Mennin / Wallingford Riegger / Ernst Toch - The Louisville Orchestra, Robert Whitney – Symphony No. 6 / Variations For Piano And Orchestra / Notturno(LP, Mono)	1955	First Edition Records
49	Ernst Toch, Pacific Symphonetta Conducted By Manuel Compinsky – The Chinese Flute, Op. 29(LP)	1950	ALCO Records (3)
50	Louis Kaufman, Grischa Monasevitch, Ray Menhennick - Ernst Toch – Serenade For Two Violins And Viola(2×Shellac, 10", 78 RPM, Album)	1948	VOX (6)
51	Ernst Toch , And The Kaufman Quartet – Quintet For Piano, Two Violins, Viola And Violoncello(Box Set, , Shellac, 12", 78 RPM)	-	Columbia
52	Darius Milhaud, Leonard Bernstein, David Diamond (2), Ernst Toch – 4 Horah Dances(2×Shellac, 12", 78 RPM, Album)	-	ALCO Records (3)
53	Louis Kaufman, Ernst Toch – The Kaufman Legacy (Vol.6) Tribute To Ernst Toch(LP)	-	Masters of the Bow
54	Klavierstücke - Piano Pieces(LP, Stereo)	-	Konzert In Der Bakola
55	Ernst Toch, Morton Gould, Aurelio Pateras Pescara – American Rarities Volume 5: Toch, Gould, Pescara(CDr, )	-	St-Laurent Studio