Rudolf Tobias | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1873-05-29)29 May 1873 |
| Died | 29 October 1918(1918-10-29) (aged 45) |
| Resting place | Kullamaa |
| Occupation | Composer |
| Era | Romantic |
| Spouse | |
| Children |
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Rudolf Tobias (29 May [O.S. 17 May] 1873 – 29 October 1918) was the firstEstonian professional composer,[1] as well as a professional organist. He studied at theSaint Petersburg Conservatory. His compositions include among others piano works,string quartets[2] and anoratorio,Des Jona Sendung (Jonah's Mission) (1908, revised and premiered 1909, later reconstructed byVardo Rumessen).
Rudolf Tobias was born inSelja,Käina Parish, on the island ofHiiumaa. He was the son of local parish clerk Johannes Tobias and his wife Emilie.[3] Tobias received his first musical training from his father. Under his father's tutelage, he began musical training at an early age and composing his first composition exercises from 1882 when he was 9 years old.[4] In 1885 he entered theHaapsalu school and studied piano underCatharina von Gernet, a local pianist. After he graduated, Tobias moved with his parents toKullamaa, where his father had become the parish clerk. In 1889 Tobias enteredTallinn Nicolai High School, where he passed the tutor's exam and studied both organ and music theory with Ernst Reinicke, theTallinn Cathedral organist.[4]
In 1893 Tobias furthered his studies at theSaint Petersburg Conservatory, where he studied organ with Louis Homilius and composition withNikolai Rimski-Korsakov. In 1897 Tobias graduated from conservatory with two special subjects, presenting as his graduate work the cantata "Johannes Damascenus". After graduation Tobias worked as organist and choir conductor of theSaint Petersburg Estonian St. John's Church from 1898 to 1904. During this time he also performed there his own compositions.[4]
In 1904 Tobias moved toTartu and worked as a music teacher in numerous schools and also worked as a tutor. During his time in Tartu he participated in organizing concerts, as well as performing as pianist, conductor and organist and preparing with his contemporaryAleksander Läte performances of oratorios.[4] Tobias also began working as a musical journalist during this period and joined the literary groupNoor Eesti.
In January 1908 Tobias briefly moved toParis, France. Shortly after that he lived briefly inMunich andDresden in Germany andPrague andDubí in present-day Czech Republic. At the end of 1908 he moved toLeipzig.
In 1910 Tobias moved to Berlin, where he worked as both an organist and journalist. In 1911 he was an active member of the evaluation committee of theConsortium of German Composers (Genossenschaft Deutscher Tonsetzer).[4] In 1914 he acquired German citizenship, and then full professorship at the Royal Academy of Music.[4]
In August 1913 Tobias visited his homeland to view opening ceremonies of the newEstonia Theatre, where he also conducted his own compositions. After returning to Berlin, Tobias arranged his authorship concert where passages of his oratorio "Mission of Jonah" were performed. After the outbreak ofWorld War I Tobias was enrolled in the German army where he worked as an interpreter. Tobias was released from service for medical reasons in 1916 and he returned to work in theRoyal Academy of Music.
Tobias died ofpneumonia inBerlin,Germany, on 29 October 1918. His youngest daughter,Helen, born seven months after his death, also became a composer. He was buried in theFriedhof Wilmersdorf cemetery in Berlin. After the restoration of theRepublic of Estonia, Tobias's remains were reburied on 7 June 1992 inKullamaa.[4]
In commemoration of Rudolf Tobias' life and work, a monument was erected inHaapsalu in 1929 designed by architect Roman Haavamägi and a memorial erected inKullamaa in 1973. In 1924 a street in Tallinn'sRaua subdistrict was renamed after Tobias and in 1973 Tobias's name was given to the Children's Music School inKärdla. On the occasion of the centennial of Tobias's birth in 1973, a memorial museum was opened inSelja,Käina Parish in the house where he was born.[4]
Rudolf Tobias was engraved on the front side of the Estonian50 krooni bill used between 1994 and 2010.
The Tobias String Quartet (Tobiase keelpillikvartett) is named after this composer.[5]
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