Fritz Kauffmann

Kauffmann was born in Berlin as the son of the pharmaceutical industrialist Julius Kauffmann, and initially studied there with Hermann Mohr. After completing an apprenticeship as a pharmacist in Hamburg and studying chemistry at the University of Leipzig, he enrolled in the Akademische Hochschule für Musik in Berlin, where he was a pupil of Friedrich Kiel (composition) and Ernst Rudorff (piano). When he went to Vienna as a Mendelssohn scholarship holder in 1881, Johannes Brahms took an interest in him. After returning to Berlin, Kauffmann initially worked as a private music teacher. In 1889 he moved to Magdeburg to conduct the Gesellschaftskonzerte (rechristened "City Symphony Concerts" in 1897). In 1897 he also took on the management of the Rebling Church Choir, which carried out the large oratorio concerts in the city. In addition, Kauffmann worked privately as a piano and theory teacher, and from 1923 also at the seminar of the composers' union. Kauffmann was appointed Royal Music Director in 1893 and professor in 1909. A board member of the German Music Education Association, in 1923 he took over the chairmanship of the Magdeburg Music Education Association. Kauffmann worked energetically to establish the municipal orchestra as a professional ensemble with permanent positions for the musicians. In 1920 he resigned from the Church Choir; ten years later he retired from professional musical life altogether but remained in Magdeburg, where he died in 1934, age 79.

In January 2024, it transpired that Kauffmann's Symphony in A minor of 1886 had been plagiarised by the German composer Hans Franke (1886–1971). The fraud came to light thanks to the publication of a synthesized rendition of Kauffmann's symphony on YouTube. During the Second World War the work had received a (second) first performance by the Spa Orchestra of Teplitz-Schönau under national socialist conductor Bruno C. Schestak. The symphony was recorded in 2007 as Hans Franke's Symphony no. 6 in A minor, Op. 790 by the Brandenburg State Orchestra Frankfurt an der Oder under conductor Christian Hammer. The recognition of Kauffmann's symphony as plagiarism by Franke led to various similar identifications.

• Die Herzkrankheit (The Lovesickness), comical opera in one act on a libretto by Julius Jost. Berlin, Carl Paez (D. Charton), 1888

• Symphony in A minor, Op. 18. Berlin, Carl Paez (D. Charton), 1886. • Piano Concerto in C minor, Op. 25. Carl Paez (D. Charton), 1892. • Dramatische Ouvertüre for large orchestra, Op. 23. Carl Paez (D. Charton), 1893. • Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 27. Carl Paez (D. Charton), 1894. • Cello Concerto in C minor, Op. 29. Carl Paez (D. Charton), 1899. • Violin Concerto No. 2 in A minor, Op. 50. Magdeburg, Heinrichshofen's verlag, 1909.

• Piano Trio No. 1, Op. 9 (1881) • Variations on an Original Theme for String Quartet, Op. 8 (1882) • String Quartet in G major, Op. 14, dedicated to Johannes Brahms. Berlin, Carl Paez (D. Charton), 1888 • Piano Trio No. 2 in E-flat major, Op. 20 (1887) • Wind Quintet in E flat major, Op. 40. Magdeburg, Heinrichshofen's Verlag, 1905. • Abendmusik, serenade for string quartet, Op. 51 (1910)

• Piano Sonata No.1 in A major, Op. 7 (1882) • Piano Sonata No.2 in B minor, Op.11 (1883) • Tanz-Improvisationen for Piano, Op. 16. Philadelphia: Theodore Presser, 1898. • Wanderbilder, Six improvisations for piano, Op. 30. Carl Paez (D. Charton), 1899.

• Lieder und Gesänge, Op. 19. Berlin, Carl Paez (D. Charton), 1887. • Aus der guten alten Zeit, three songs for soprano and chamber orchestra, Op. 21. Wilhelmshaven: Heinrichshofen's Verlag, 1888?. • Fünf Gesänge, Op.37. Magdeburg: Heinrichshofen's Verlag, 1902.