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(https://second.wiki/wiki/georg_hendrik_witte)
Georg Hendrik Witte (born November 16, 1843 in Utrecht / Netherlands; † February 3, 1929 in Essen ) was a Dutch professor, composer, royal and municipal music director and head of the music association in Essen. He significantly shaped the musical life of the city of Essen.
Witte was the third child of the German organ builder Christian Gottlieb Friedrich Witte (1802–1873) and Dorothea Antoinetta born. Lagers (1810–1884). His brothers were Johann Frederik (1840–1902), Georg Hendrik I (1842–1842), Johann Christiaan (1845–1909), Rudolf (1847–1847) and Rudolph (1850–1905). Witte grew up in Utrecht. At an early age he followed his inclinations for music. After finishing school he studied from May 1859 to July 1862 at the Royal Music School in The Hague in the subjects of piano, violin and organ. His teachers included WFG Nicolai (organ, composition) and Charles van der Does (piano).
Witte continued his music studies at the Leipzig Conservatory (1862-1865). His teachers included Ignaz Moscheles , Carl Reinecke , Moritz Hauptmann and Ernst Friedrich Richter . It was during this time that the first published compositions were written. From 1867 to 1869 he stayed in Thann, Alsace, as the successor to Franz Stockhausen, where he gave music lessons to major daughters and led a wind orchestra. Then he returned to Leipzig. When the Franco-German war broke out, Witte went to his parents' house in Utrecht and performed there with chamber music and organ concerts. Since he saw no professional prospects in the Netherlands, he decided to return to Leipzig.
On the recommendation of Carl Reinecke, in November 1871, Witte took over the position of director of the Musikverein in Essen, founded in 1838, as the successor to Philipp B. Rüfer, which he held until he left active service in 1911. The development of musical life in Essen went hand in hand with the tumultuous economic and industrial development of the city. Witte's invitation to Johannes Brahms , whom he particularly admired, to a concert dedicated to the composer on March 2, 1884 was a major musical event for Essen. Brahms agreed to a fee of 600 marks, "which we can gladly exceed".
On May 26, 1882, Witte was appointed Royal Prussian Music Director. The city of Essen provided the vocal ensemble of the Essen Music Association, founded by Wilhelm Nedelmann in 1838, with a corresponding orchestra and on April 1, 1899 established the office of city music director for the choir director Georg Hendrik Witte. [2] [3] Today's Essen Philharmonic was formed from this 42-piece municipal orchestra led by Witte. His other initiatives include the new building of the municipal hall, which was opened in 1904 as part of a two-day music festival in the presence of Richard Strauss. On May 29, 1905, Witte was appointed royal professor.
From 26. to 28. May 1906 took place in Essen the annual meeting of the "General German Music Association" (ADMV) and the "42. German Tonkünstlerfest ”, which Witte was commissioned to carry out. The focus was on the world premiere of the 6th Symphony by Gustav Mahler under the direction of the composer.
As part of the choir work, Witte set up the so-called “small choir school” with weekly lessons for the youngsters. The knowledge and experience he gained in the process found its way into the scientific-pedagogical work completed in 1920/21 on "Theory and Practice in Music - Contributions to the Care of Sound Awareness with Practical Waving and Advice for the Initial Lessons in Music". In the post-war period, however, there was no publisher interested in printing this work, the manuscript of which has been lost.
In the later years of his activity, Witte had to defend himself against opponents and critics of the concert programs that competed with the Essen Music Association and its director with the establishment of the “Musical Society” and its own concert events.
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