Johann Nepomuk David
Illustration — David before 1937 Johann Nepomuk David (30 November 1895 – 22 December 1977) was an Austrian composer.
Johann Nepomuk David

Ernst Hoenisch · Zeitschrift für Musik, 104. Jahrgang, Januar 1937 Heft 1, nach S. 40 (http: anno.onb.ac.at/cgi-content/anno-plus?aid=nzm datum=1937 page=96 size=45) · Public domain
- Born
- 1895. · Eferding.
- Died
- 1977. · Stuttgart.
- Nationality
- Austria.
- Occupation
- composer, music educator, teacher and conductor.
- Fields
- classical music.
- Education
- University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna.
- Honours
- Bach Prize of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Berliner Kunstpreis, City of Vienna Prize for Music, Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, Austrian Decoration for Science and Art and honorary doctor of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz.
- Languages
- German.
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Documentary summary
Illustration — David before 1937 Johann Nepomuk David (30 November 1895 – 22 December 1977) was an Austrian composer.
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Note VALÉORINE
Johann Nepomuk David (1895–1977) was a composer, conductor and music educator, among other activities, of Austrian nationality. The composer was born in Eferding and died in Stuttgart.
Johann Nepomuk David was educated at University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. The composer worked for Mozarteum University Salzburg and University of Music and Theatre Leipzig and was a member of Academy of Arts, Berlin and Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts.
The work spans classical music. Languages used include German. Honours include Austrian Decoration for Science and Art, Berliner Kunstpreis and City of Vienna Prize for Music, among others.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 27 September 2026
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gnd · 33519-8 · wikidata · Q565484 · wikipedia · Johann Nepomuk David
In this article
Life and career
Life and career
Johann Nepomuk David studied at University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Helmut Lachenmann and Helmut Schiff are recorded as having studied under Johann Nepomuk David. The recorded working language is German. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are classical music. Employment is recorded with Mozarteum University Salzburg and University of Music and Theatre Leipzig. Distinctions recorded are Bach Prize of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Berliner Kunstpreis, City of Vienna Prize for Music and Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
David was born in Eferding. He was a choirboy in the monastery of Sankt Florian and studied at an episcopal teacher training college in Linz, 1912–1915, after which he became a school teacher. He studied briefly (1921–22) at both the Musikhochschule (where was a composition student of Joseph Marx)[1] and the university of Vienna (where he studied with Guido Adler). He returned to Linz in 1922, where he acted as musical director of the Linz "Kunststelle" until 1924. From January 1925 until the autumn of 1934 he was a teacher at a local catholic school, founded and directed a Bach choir, and was organist at a Protestant church at Wels. He then became professor of composition and theory at the Musikhochschule in Leipzig (November 1934 – January 1945). From 1945 to 1947 he was professor of music at the Mozarteum, Salzburg, and finally, from 1948 to 1963, professor of theory and counterpoint (practically: composition) at the Musikhochschule in Stuttgart. At Stuttgart, he also directed the Bruckner choir (1949–52), the academy's chamber orchestra (1950–53). David wrote a number of orchestral works including eight symphonies, several concertos including an organ concerto and three violin concertos, instrumental works including many for or with organ, and many choral works. His general style changed from the modal tendencies seen in his first two symphonies to the more acerbic though still tonal sound of the later ones. David died, aged 83, in Stuttgart. His son, Thomas Christian David (1925–2006), was also a composer. His pupils included Hans Georg Bertram (1936–2013), Seóirse Bodley (1933–2023), Johan Kvandal (1919–1999), Helmut Lachenmann (born 1935), Hans Stadlmair (1929–2019), Käte van Tricht (1909–1996), and Ruth Zechlin (1926–2007).
Selected worklist
Selected worklist
• Eight Symphonies: • No. 1 in A minor, op. 18 (1937) • No. 2, op. 20 (1938) • No. 3, op. 28 (1941)[3] • No. 4, op. 39 (1948) • No. 5, op. 41 (1951)[4] • No. 6, op. 46 (1954) • No. 7, op. 49 (1957) • No. 8, op. 59 (1964–65)[5] • Symphonie preclassica super nomen H-A-S-E (op. 44, 1953),[6] sinfonia breve for small orchestra (op. 47) (1955),[7] sinfonia per archi (op. 54) (1959)[8] • Chaconne, op. 71 for orchestra (1972)[9] • Flute Concerto, 1936[10] • Three concertos for string orchestra (op. 40 no. 1, 1950, op. 40 no. 2, 1951, op. 74, 1974,[11] published by Breitkopf & Härtel) • Violin concerto, op. 45 with small orchestra (1952)[12] • Violin concerto no. 2, with string orchestra, op. 50 (1957)[13] • Violin Concerto no. 3, op. 56 (1961)[14] • Melancholia for viola and chamber orchestra, op.53 (1958) • Concerto for organ and orchestra, op. 61 (1965)[15] • Concerto for violin, cello and orchestra, op.68 (1969)[16] • Duo concertante for violin and cello (op. 19) (pub. 1938) • Sonata for viola solo, op. 31 no.3 (1947)[17] • Two sonatas for cello solo (op. 31 no. 4, pub. 1947; 1977) • Sonata for guitar (op. 31 no. 5) • Sonata for flute and viola, op. 32 no.1 (1943)[18] • Sonata for clarinet and viola, op. 32 no.4 (1948)[19] • Sonatas for violin solo • no. 1 • no. 2 op. 58 no. 1 (1963)[20] • Partita über B-A-C-H for organ (1964)[21] • Trio for flute, viola and guitar, op. 26 • Trio for flute, violin and cello, op. 73 (1974) • Sonata for violin and organ, op. 75 (1975) • Sonata for violoncello and organ (1975)[22] • Variations for flute or recorder and guitar op. 32 • Ezzolied, op. 51 (1957)[23] • Deutsche Messe for mixed choir, op. 42 (1952) • Missa choralis (de angelis): ad quattuor voces inaequales, op. 43 (1953) • Sechs Evangelienmotetten for mixed choir a cappella (1958) • 1. Der Pharisäer und der Zöllner (Lk 18:10–14) • 2. Lasset die Kindlein zu mir kommen (Mk 10:13–16) • 3. Die Ehebrecherin (Joh 8:3–11) • 4. Das Scherflein der Witwe (Mk 12:41–45) • 5. Der barmherzige Samariter (Lk 10:30–34) • 6. Die zwei Blinden (Matt 9:27–30) • O Heiland, reiß die Himmel auf, motet on the Advent song "O Heiland, reiß die Himmel auf" (1959) • Psalm 139 Herr, du erforschest mich, for mixed choir (1961) • Pollio, for bass, choir and orchestra, text after Virgil
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1895
Johann Nepomuk David born at Eferding.
1977
Johann Nepomuk David died at Stuttgart.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Eferding.
Birth place
Stuttgart.
Death place
Writings
*
Where the work is held
Recognition and collections
Johann Nepomuk David received Bach Prize of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Berliner Kunstpreis, City of Vienna Prize for Music, Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, Austrian Decoration for Science and Art and honorary doctor of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz.
Decorations and awards
• 1941: Winner of the Upper Danube cultural Prize (NSDAP) • 1949: Franz Liszt Prize (Weimar) • 1951: City of Vienna Prize for Music • 1951: Mendelssohn Scholarship (Leipzig) • 1952: Buxtehudepreis (Lübeck) • 1953: Grand Austrian State Prize for Music • 1955: Mozart Medal (Mozartgemeinde Vienna) • 1960: Guest at the Deutsche Akademie Rom Villa Massimo in Rome • 1963: Bach Prize of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg • 1963: Anton Bruckner Prize (Linz) • 1966: Austrian Decoration for Science and Art[24] • 1966: Mozart Prize of the Goethe Foundation in Basel by the University of Innsbruck • 1966: Berlin Art Prize • 1970: Honorary Doctor of the Protestant Theological Faculty of the University of Mainz
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Annala, Hannu; Matlik, Heiki; Backman, Katarina (transl.) (2007). . Mel Bay Publications, p. 68; .
- 2.Schirmer. List of Works by David.
- 3.OCLC 7558851
- 4.Schirmer has opus 51 for symphony 5, but that belongs to the Ezzolied of 1957. The recording of symphony 5, and the David page, give opus 41.
- 5.OCLC 165608306
- 6.Schirmer Page for Sinfonia preclassica.
- 7.Schirmer Page for David Sinfonia Breve.
- 8.Schirmer Page for Sinfonia for Strings op. 54.
- 9.Schirmer Listing for David Chaconne.
- 10.Page for Flute Concerto.
- 11.Schirmer Page for 3rd Concerto.
- 12.Schirmer Page for Violin Concerto No. 1.
- 13.Schirmer Listing for 2nd Violin Concerto.
- 14.Schirmer Page for Violin Concerto No. 3.
- 15.Schirmer Page for Organ Concerto Op. 61.
- 16.Schirmer Page for Concerto for Violin and Violoncello.
- 17.OCLC 23806473
- 18.OCLC 14245050
- 19.OCLC 78201702
- 20.OCLC 14049347
- 21.OCLC 8654994
- 22.OCLC 23806473 .
- 23.Choral Works from David Site.
- 24.Reply to a parliamentary question. 202.
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Johann Nepomuk David studied at University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Each of those relationships is stated by the authority record rather than inferred from style.
He was employed by Mozarteum University Salzburg and University of Music and Theatre Leipzig. He belonged to Academy of Arts, Berlin and Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts. Recorded as composer, music educator, teacher and conductor.
Career and activity
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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