Felix Woyrsch

Full biography Felix Woyrsch

Felix Woyrsch, born in Opava, Czech Republic (then part of the Austrian Empire) in 1860, was a German composer who lived and worked in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He began his musical education at the Leipzig Conservatory, where he studied composition with Salomon Jadassohn and Carl Reinecke.

Although Woyrsch composed in a variety of genres, his works are primarily known for their late Romantic style, which is marked by lush harmonies, soaring melodies, and powerful orchestration. He is perhaps best known for his Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 52, which was premiered in 1897 and is considered one of the finest symphonies of the late Romantic era.

In addition to his symphonies, Woyrsch also wrote a number of chamber works, including string quartets, as well as vocal and choral music. His incidental music for the play Abhijnanashakuntalam (also known as Shakuntala) by the Indian playwright Kalidasa is also noteworthy.

Woyrsch was active as a composer until his death in 1944, and his music enjoyed a certain level of popularity during his lifetime. However, his works fell out of favor shortly after his death and remained largely forgotten until the late 20th century, when a renewed interest in the late Romantic era prompted a reassessment of his music. Today, his Symphony No. 1 and other works are occasionally performed and recorded, allowing listeners to rediscover the forgotten beauty of his music.