Werner Karthaus

Werner Karthaus was born on 11 February 1901 in Düsseldorf (Germany). He studied composition with Paul Juon and musicology with Fritz Volbach. After his music studies he worked as music teacher for violin, but mainly as a musicologist and composer and was a renowned figure in the German music life in the first half of the 20th century. He composed 6 symphonies, a cello concerto, a capriccio for piano and orchestra, an opera "Doktor Eisenbart", chamber music and songs. His works were performed regularly in the 1930s and 40s, for example his first symphony was premiered 1940 in Essen under Albert Bittner, his second symphony 1942 in Remscheid under Horst Tanu Margraf. Werner Karthaus died 1971 in Düsseldorf (Germany).

In my possession is an autograph manuscreipt of a String quartet in C minor. The work was begun 20 June 1920 and finished 15 February 1921. Werner Karthaus composed a second string quartet in C minor in 1933, but the two works are different.