Sonata F minor

August Halm (1869-1929) was both a musician and a music teacher. He first studied theology followed by the study of music with Joseph Rheinberger. He was one of the most important music teachers of the musical youth movement and as such he set new standards especially through his dedication to the works of Bach and Bruckner. By introducing elements such as "energetics" and "organics" to musicology, he thoroughly influenced other music teachers and musicologists alike - such as Fritz Jöde and Hans Mersmann. His first compositions followed Hugo Wolf's models whereas he later concentrated almost exclusively on instrumental music in which he tried to connect the "two cultures in music" , i.e. the fugue and the sonata, according to the example set by Bruckner. Viola players will welcome this composition as an attractive piece of romantic original literature for their instrument.