Egon Joseph Wellesz (21 October 1885 – 9 November 1974) was an Austrian, later British composer, teacher and musicologist, notable particularly in the field of Byzantine music.
Although both parents of Wellesz's were Hungarian Christians, they both had Jewish ancestry. He received a Protestant upbringing, but later converted to Catholicism. Wellesz studied in Vienna under Arnold Schoenberg – purportedly his first private pupil – as well as Guido Adler, who founded the musicological institute in Vienna and was a leading editor of the Austrian Denkmaler. These dual influences shaped much of his musical and scholarly thought. In 1913, Wellesz embarked upon what would become a lifelong interest in the musical achievements of Byzantium.
Wellesz left Austria for England in the wake of the Anschluss – more specifically, Wellesz was in Amsterdam at the time by good fortune, to hear his orchestral piece Prosperos Beschwörungen conducted by Bruno Walter on that day. In England he was interned as an enemy alien, ultimately in Hutchinson Camp in the Isle of Man, but he gained his release in 1943 thanks to the intercession of H. C. Colles, the long-standing chief music critic of The Times. Altogether he wrote nine symphonies and an equal number of string quartets, the former starting, in 1945, only with his arrival in England and the latter series of works spread throughout his life. Other compositions by him include operas, one of which (Die Bakchantinnen) was revived and recorded a few years ago; an octet with the same instrumentation as Schubert's; piano and violin concertos (one of each); and a suite for violin and orchestra. Stylistically his earliest music, somewhat like that of Ernst Krenek, is in a harsh but recognisably tonal style; there is a definite second period of sorts around the time of the first two symphonies (1940s) in which his music has a somewhat Brucknerian sound – in the symphonies sometimes an equal breadth, though still with something of a 20th-century feel and harmonies – but after his fourth symphony (the Austriaca) his music is more tonally vague in character, with serial techniques used. This idiom is consistent with hints of tonality, such as can be found in his eighth string quartet.
Despite his composing, Wellesz remains best known for his extensive scholarly contributions to the study of Byzantine music. These contributions brought for him an honorary doctorate from Oxford (where he later taught) in 1932.
A portrait was made of Wellesz by Jean Cooke, who had been commissioned for the work by Lincoln College, University of Oxford.
Wellesz's works as a composer amount to at least 112 works with opus numbers as well as some 20 works without opus number. He busied himself in a variety of media.
Recently, interest in Wellesz's music has increased. A complete recording of his nine symphonies is available, although his music has generally been sparsely represented on CD or LP. His 3rd symphony (1950–1), published posthumously, received its world premiere in Vienna in 2000. Several of his symphonies have titles, including the second (The English), and the seventh (Contra torrentum).
Das Wunder der Diana, op. 18 (1914–1917), ballet after Béla Balázs
Die Prinzessin Girnara, op. 27 (1919–1920), libretto by Jakob Wassermann
Persisches Ballett, op. 30 (1920), ballet after Ellen Tels
Achilles auf Skyros, op. 33 (1921), ballet after Hugo von Hofmannsthal
Alkestis, op. 35 (1924), Libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal after Euripides
Die Nächtlichen: Tanzsinfonien, op. 37 (1924), Ballet scene after Max Terpis
Die Opferung des Gefangenen, op. 40 (1924–1925), Stage drama after Eduard Stucken
Scherz, List und Rache, op. 41 (1927), libretto after Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Die Bakchantinnen, op. 44 (1931), libretto by the composer after Euripides, opera in 2 Acts
Hymne der Agave aus Die Bakchantinnen, op. 44, concert edition by Wellesz
Incognita, op. 69 (1950), libretto by Elizabeth MacKenzie and William Congreve
Drei gemischte Chöre, op. 43 (1930), text: Angelus Silesius
Fünf kleine Männerchöre, op. 46 (1932) from Fränkischen Koran by Ludwig Derleth
Drei geistliche Chöre, op. 47 (1932) for men's chorus based on poems from Mitte des Lebens by Rudolf Alexander Schröder
Zwei Gesänge, op. 48 (1932) based on poems from Mitte des Lebens by Rudolf Alexander Schröder
Mass in F minor, op. 51 (1934)
Quant'è bella Giovinezza, op. 59 (1937), for women's choir
Carol, op. 62a (1944) for women's choir
Proprium Missae, Laetare, op. 71 (1953) for choir and organ
Kleine Messe in G major, op. 80a (1958) for three similar voices a capella
Alleluia, op. 80b (1958) for soprano or tenor solo
Laus Nocturna, op. 88 (1962)
Missa brevis, op. 89 (1963) for choir
To Sleep, op. 94 (1965) for choir
Festliches Präludium, op. 100 (1966) on a Byzantinium Magnificat for choir and organ
Heldensang, op. 2 (1905), symphonic prologue for large orchestra
Vorfrühling, op. 12 (1912), symphonic mood picture for orchestra
Suite, op. 16 (1913), for orchestra
Mitte des Lebens, op. 45 (1931–32), cantata for soprano, choir, and orchestra
Piano Concerto, op. 49 (1933)
Amor Timido, op. 50 (1933), aria for soprano and small orchestra, text: Pietro Metastasio
Prosperos Beschwörungen, op. 53 (1934–36), five symphonic works for orchestra after William Shakespeares The Tempest
Lied der Welt, op. 54 (1936–38), for soprano and orchestra. Text: Hugo von Hofmannsthal
Leben, Traum und Tod, op. 55 (1936–37), for alto and orchestra. Text: Hugo von Hofmannsthal
Schönbüheler Messe C-dur, op. 58 (1937), for choir, orchestra, and organ
Symphony No. 1, op. 62 (1945)
Symphony No. 2, op. 65 (1947–48), The English
Symphony No. 3, op. 68 (1949–51)
Symphony No. 4, op. 70 (1951–53), Austriaca
Symphony No. 5, op. 75 (1955–56)
Violin concerto, op. 84 (1961), dedicated to the violinist Eduard Melkus. Recorded by David Frühwirth in 2010 on CD.
Four Songs of Return, op. 85 (1961), for soprano and chamber orchestra, after texts by Elizabeth Mackenzie
Duineser Elegie, op. 90 (1963) for soprano, choir, and orchestra after Rainer Maria Rilke
Ode an die Musik, op. 92 (1965) for baritone or alto and chamber orchestra, text: Pindar, in free adaptation of works by Friedrich Hölderlin
Symphony No. 6, op. 95 (1965)
Vision for soprano and orchester, op. 99 (1966), text: Georg Trakl
Mirabile Mysterium, op. 101 (1967) for soloist, choir, and Orchester
Symphony No. 7, op. 102 (1967–68), Contra torrentem
Canticum Sapientiae, op. 104 (1968) for baritone, choir, and orchestra after texts from the Old Testament
Divertimento, op. 107 (1969), for small orchestra
Symphonic Epilogue, op. 108 (1969)
Symphony No. 8, op. 110 (1970)
Symphony No. 9, op. 111 (1970–71)
String Quartet No. 1, op. 14 (1912)
String Quartet No. 2, op. 20 (1915–16)
Geistliches Lied, op. 23 (1918–19) for singing voice, violin, viola, and piano
String Quartet No. 3, op. 25 (1918)
String Quartet No. 4, op. 28 (1920)
Sonata for violoncello solo, op. 31 (1920)
Zwei Stücke for clarinet and piano, op. 34 (1922)
Sonata for violin solo, op. 36 (1923)
Suite for violin and chamber orchestra, op. 38 (1924)
Sonnet by Elizabeth Barrett-Browning for soprano and string quartet or large string ensemble, op. 52 (1934)
Suite for violoncello solo, op. 39 (1924)
Suite for violin and piano, op. 56 (1937/1957)
Suite for flute solo, op. 57 (1937)
String quartet No. 5, op. 60 (1943)
The Leaden Echo and the Golden Echo, cantata for soprano, clarinet, violoncello, piano, op. 61 (1944), text: Gerard Manley Hopkins
String Quartet No. 6, op. 64 (1946)
String Quartet No. 7, op. 66 (1948)
Octet, op. 67 (1948–49) for clarinet, bassoon, horn, two violins, viola, violoncello, and contrabass
Sonata for violin solo, op. 72 (1953/59)
Suite, op. 73 (1954) for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, and bassoon
Suite for solo clarinet, op. 74 (1956)
Suite for solo oboe, op. 76 (1956)
Suite for solo bassoon, op. 77 (1957)
Fanfare for solo horn, op. 78 (1957)
String Quartet No. 8, op. 79 (1957)
Quintet, op. 81 (1959) for clarinet, 2 violins, viola, and violoncello
String trio, op. 86 (1962)
Rhapsody for viola solo, op. 87 (1962)
Musik for string orchestra in one movement, op. 91 (1964)
Fünf Miniaturen for violins and piano, op. 93 (1965)
Partita in Honor of Johann Sebastian Bach, op. 96 (1965) for organ
String Quartet No. 9, op. 97 (1966)
Four Pieces for string quartet, op. 103 (1968)
Four Pieces for string trio, op. 105 (1969, second version 1971)
Four Pieces for string quintet, op. 109 (1970)
Prelude for viola solo, op. 112 (1971)
Decorations and awards
1953: City of Vienna Prize for Music
1957: Commander of the Order of the British Empire
1957: Great Silver Medal of the City of Paris
1959: Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold for Services to the Republic of Austria
1961: Grand Austrian State Prize for Music
1961: Order of St. Gregory the Great (Vatican)
1971: Foreign Member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts
1971: Austrian Decoration for Science and Art
1973: Honorary Member of the Society of Friends of Music in Vienna