Kaspar Kummer

Kaspar Johann Kummer[1] (1795–1870) was a German flautist, professor and composer.

Kummer was born on 10 December 1795 in the Erlau district of Schleusingen, Thuringia.[2] He taught himself the flute while learning violin, horn, trumpet, clarinet, bassoon, oboe, viola, cello, and double bass.

Kummer was taught by a Schleusingen musician, Neumeister for a year, then took training in music theory from the Cantor of Schleusingen, Gottlob Abraham Stäps. From 1813, he worked as a flautist at the chapel of the Duke Erst I of Coburg.[3]

His compositions, numbering over 150,[4] include flute concertos, quartets and quintets for flutes and strings, and duos and trios for flutes; he also wrote a flute method book.

He had several students, including Friedrich Kiel[5] and Felix Draeseke.[6]

He died on 21 May 1870, in Coburg.[3]

Notes

  1. ^ Sometimes Caspar or Gaspard. Spelling, in publications and otherwise, would often vary.
  2. ^ Fürstenau, Moritz (1912). "Kummer: Kaspar K.". Allegemeine Deutsche Biographie. By von Liliencron, Rochus. Vol. 17. Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot. p. 371. (In German.)
  3. ^ a b Gurlitt, Wilibald (1959). "Kummer, Kaspar". Riemann Musik Lexikon. Mainz: B. Schott's Söhne. p. 981. (In German.)
  4. ^ "List of works by Kaspar Kummer". imslp.org. Retrieved 13 Dec 2025.
  5. ^ "Friedrich Kiel (Obituary)". The Monthly Musical Record. XV (178). October 1, 1885. Retrieved January 26, 2014.
  6. ^ "Nachlass Felix Draeseke" (in German). SLUB Dresden. Archived from the original on December 27, 2014. Retrieved January 26, 2014.