Ferdinand Rebay – Life and Work of a Versatile Composer

Ferdinand Rebay (1880–1953): Austrian Composer, Pianist, Choir Conductor, and Educator

Ferdinand Rebay (1880–1953) was an Austrian composer, pianist, choir conductor, and educator whose artistic achievements are receiving renewed attention today. Born in Vienna to musically inclined parents—his mother being a piano student of Anton Bruckner—Rebay began his musical journey early. As a choirboy at Heiligenkreuz Abbey, he received a solid foundational training. Further studies under renowned teachers like Robert Fuchs culminated in 1904 when he graduated with distinction from the Vienna Conservatory. Even during his student years, his works were performed with great success, including his thesis composition Erlkönig, which was regarded as one of the finest works in the history of the conservatory.

Creative Periods and Stylistic Characteristics

Rebay's compositional output reflects his deep roots in Romanticism, interwoven with classical and Baroque forms such as the sonata, suite, and variation. Although contemporaneous with composers like Erich Wolfgang Korngold and Alexander Zemlinsky, Rebay’s style stood out for its clear melodic lines and harmonic finesse. Notably, his arrangements of folk songs from various cultures showcase the influence of Johannes Brahms.

His body of work is impressively diverse, encompassing orchestral compositions, choral music, lieder, chamber music, guitar pieces, and operas. His opera fantasies for piano and numerous works for guitar continue to attract interest. Rebay maintained close relationships with leading musicians of his time, often performing his own works.

Significance for Guitar Literature

Rebay’s profound engagement with the guitar began through his connections with Jakob Ortner, a guitar professor, and his niece Gerta Hammerschmied, a celebrated concert guitarist. For Gerta, Rebay composed over 600 works, including sonatas, chamber music, and songs with guitar accompaniment. His contributions to guitar literature are considered groundbreaking, as they explored new technical and tonal possibilities for the instrument. Today, these works are integral to guitar repertoires worldwide.

Pedagogical and Professional Career

As a professor at the Vienna Academy of Music and the Music Pedagogical Seminar, Rebay shaped generations of musicians. His students included prominent figures such as pianist Josef Dichler and operatic baritone Hans Duhan. Despite his contributions, Rebay was dismissed from teaching in 1938 due to political circumstances. After World War II, he resumed teaching but remained financially and socially marginalized.

Rediscovery of His Work

Following his death, many of Rebay’s compositions fell into obscurity until they were rediscovered through the meticulous efforts of Dr. Maria Tschervenlieva-Gellew. She cataloged his estate at Heiligenkreuz Abbey and made it accessible. Thanks to her dedication and collaborations with publishers like Bergmann Edition, Rebay's music is once again being performed, recorded, and published. His guitar works, in particular, are enjoying an international renaissance.

Ferdinand Rebay left behind an impressive legacy of over 700 works, demonstrating the depth and breadth of his creativity. His compositions offer musicians a rich source of interpretive and technical challenges, as well as a unique fusion of tradition and innovation.