Hans Czegka

Hans Czegka was born as Johann Czegka on 22 September 1903 in Világos (at that time Austria-Hungary, today Șiria in Romania). He studied under Friedrich Buxbaum (cello) and Richard Stöhr (counterpoint) at the Musikakademie in Vienna. After completing his studies, Czegka became the cellist of the Mildner Quartet in 1925, alongside Alfred Mildner, Armin Kaufmann and Max Handl. Two years later, he left the ensemble to become one of the founding members of the Rothschild Quartet, together with Fritz Rothschild, Armin Kaufmann and Artur Kreiner.
In 1927 Czegka gave the premiere performance of the "Konzertstück" for cello and orchestra by his quartet colleague Armin Kaufmann. The Rothschild Quartet subsequently established itself as a chamber music ensemble, performing throughout Europe and appearing regularly in radio broadcasts. 
Czegka was particularly interested in contemporary music and participated in numerous performances of works by living composers. In May 1931 the Rothschild Quartet reportedly gave the first performance of the "Introduction and Fugue for String Quartet" by the Turkish composer Necil Kâzım Akses in Vienna. On 3 April 1936 the ensemble performed Karl Weigl's String Quartet No. 4 in D minor at the Großer Ehrbarsaal in Vienna. 
Czegka was also active as a composer. In 1931 he contributed original cello studies to Joachim Stutschewsky's "Neue Etüden-Sammlung für Violoncello", published by Schott. The collection includes his study "Synkopierte Bindung" in its first volume and another contribution in the fourth volume. 
Besides his work with the Rothschild Quartet, Czegka frequently appeared in other chamber music formations and as a soloist. His commitment to contemporary music is particularly well documented in concert reviews from 1938. In April he performed a cello sonata by Norbert Sprongl with the pianist Roland Raupenstrauch. In May he played a Sonata in C major by Cesar Bresgen with Frieda Balenzi and participated in a performance of a quintet for string quartet and oboe by Arthur Michl, alongside Walter and Armin Kaufmann, Josef Bača and Hans Kamesch. In June he performed a Duo for cello and piano by Günter Harum together with the pianist Magda Ruff. Several of these performances received favourable reviews in the Viennese press.
During the following years Czegka continued his career as an orchestral musician, soloist and chamber musician in Vienna. On 22 March 1940 he participated in a performance of Johann Sebastian Bach's "St Matthew Passion" at the Wiener Konzerthaus under Anton Konrath. In February 1941 he was announced as the soloist in Tchaikovsky's "Variations on a Rococo Theme" with orchestra under Guido Binkau. In October of the same year he was scheduled to perform Brahms' Double Concerto for violin and cello together with the violinist Franz Bruckbauer, again under Anton Konrath.
During these years Czegka was the principal cellist of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, then known as the Stadtorchester. He also continued to appear regularly as a soloist in his own recital programmes. A review published in January 1943 described him as an already well-known and highly regarded cellist and praised his musicianship and technical abilities. His programme included a demanding solo suite by Max Reger, several of his own arrangements for cello, a Scherzo by Zetter and a rhapsody by Armin Kaufmann. The pianist Fritz Kuba accompanied him.
In January 1944 Czegka gave another cello recital in Vienna. His programme included works by Beethoven and his own composition "Rumänische Rhapsodie" for cello and piano. A contemporary review praised the virtuoso cello writing and the individual harmonic and formal treatment of the work. 
Following the end of the Second World War, Czegka participated in the revival of Viennese musical life. In July 1945 he appeared with the Weißgärber Quartet, alongside Max Weißgärber, Rudi Streng and Karl Stumpf. 
In September 1945 Czegka became a founding member of the Barylli Quartet, together with Walter Barylli (first violin), Walter Weller (second violin) and Alfons Grünberg (viola). The ensemble gave its first public concert on 10 September 1945 in the Brahms-Saal of the Vienna Musikverein.
In 1947 Czegka joined the Vienna Philharmonic as a cellist while continuing his activities with the Barylli Quartet. His playing was later remembered by Nikolaus Harnoncourt, who particularly emphasised his technical precision.
Hans Czegka died unexpectedly in Vienna in September 1950 following an operation.

In my possession is a large part of the musical estate of Hans Czegka. My archive contains the following works - please notice that some of these manuscript s are incomplete:

• untitled composition for violin and piano (1931)
• Duo for violin and cello - 5 movements (1932)
• Frederic Chopin's "Fantasie-Impromptu cis-moll op.66" arranged for cello and piano (1934)
• String quartet No.1 (1934)
• String quartet No.2 (1935), incomplete manuscript
• Cello concerto (1935), incomplete manuscript
• String quartet No.3 (1937), incomplete manuscript
• Frederic Chopin's "Prelude Des-dur op.28 No.15" arranged for cello and piano (1943)
• Frederic Chopin's "Prelude cis-moll op.28 No.10" arranged for cello and piano (1943)
• Claude Debussy's "Arabesque" arranged for cello and piano (1943)
• Pablo de Sarasate's "Zapateado op.23 No.2" arranged for cello and piano (1944)
• Rumänische Rhapsodie, for cello and piano (1944), copyist manuscript, dated 1945, and signed "Hugo Pyba"(?)
• Trauermusik, for 6 cellos (1945)
• Edvard Grieg's "Souvenirs op.71 No.7" arranged for cello and piano
• Edvard Grieg's "Kobold op.71 No.3" arranged for cello and piano
• Cesar Cui's "Orientale" from his Kaleidoscope op.50 No.9 arranged for cello and piano
• untitled song for voice and piano, beginning with the words "ein Kater voller Lebensfreude in der Blüte seiner Jahre ward dahingerafft vom Tode"

1) Trauermusik, for 6 cellos

The "Trauermusik" for six cellos was completed in August 1945 and was almost certainly a response to the Second World War and its end in May 1945, following the surrender of Nazi Germany.

2) Duo for violin and cello

The work for violin and cello was composed in 1932. The manuscript bears no title; the designation Duo was added by me for identification purposes.

3) Rumänische Rhapsodie

The Romanian Rhapsody for cello and piano was most likely composed in 1944. In any case, the work was performed by Hans Czegka himself as the cellist at a recital in Vienna in January 1944. I possess only a handwritten copy of the score made by a copyist.

4) Song

Part of the Czegka Archive is also an untitled song for voice and piano. The song begins with the words "Ein Kater voller Lebensfreude in der Blüte seiner Jahre ward dahingerafft vom Tode und nun liegt er auf der Bahre". No author of the words is mentioned in the manuscript and I found no other source for these words. Maybe Hans Czegka wrote them himself. The manuscript is undated too.

5) Piece for violin and piano

This composition survives in the form of a working manuscript and bears no title. Composed in 1931, it is the earliest work in my collection of Czegka manuscripts and dates from a period when Hans Czegka was a member of the Rothschild Quartet.