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Perth, Western Australia

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Callaway Centre

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Ephemera

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Rudolf Werther

Description

Biographical informationDr Rudolf T Werther was born in Berlin in 1896 and received a music education at a Berlin conservatorium. Werther was also enrolled at the University of Edinburgh during the 1910s, receiving a Doctorate in political science.

Werther and his family, as Jewish Germans, had left Berlin for France by 1929/30. Werther emigrated to Australia in 1939, first living in Launceston, Tasmania. In Tasmania, he not only organised and conducted operas and concerts, but soon established himself as an especially enthusiastic and pioneering music teacher. Noticing that Tasmania was the only Australian state at the time without a Music Collegium, he proposed a Collegium Musicum of Tasmania, to deliver systematic music education and develop musical talent and appreciation in Tasmania, offering classical music education courses to the public. Among the many clippings reporting on Werther's musical endeavours is one of his most unique proposals, to play free concerts in the homes of the public interested in classical music for their amusement and to spread the appreciation of classical music, reported in 1940. Werther's public lectures and popular concerts that began in Tasmania were a mainstay of his career in Australia.

Werther moved next to Cairns, Queensland, in 1945 and then to Perth, Western Australia, in 1951. On coming to Western Australia, he became the first Cultural Director of the Cottesloe Civic Centre where he produced two operas, including the opera, "Il Seraglio" in 1953, the first open-air opera held in Western Australia. Another of Werther's unique initiatives to spark music appreciation was his public lecture and concert series, "Meet the Famous Poets and Composers on their Birthdays". Clippings of his endeavours and records of his activity were kept by Werther in his unique scrapbooks held at the Callaway Centre. In 1957 he published his book Opera in Australia: the history leading to the Australian Elizabethan Opera, and began the Rudolf Werther Music Fund in the 1970s. Werther was also a member of the Fellowship of Australian Composers.

Werther produced an astounding, prolific number of songs, as well as choral and piano works and a school play. His songs were based on classic poems by English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish poets, including English Romantic poets like Wordsworth and Shelley, Swinburne, William Butler Yeats and Christina Rossetti, Fyodor Tyutchev, Theodor Storm and Rainer Maria Rilke. Many of his six hundred songs have been heard in broadcasts by the ABC and in public recitals, including UWA’s Lunchtime concerts. Some of Werther’s major and favourite original works include his choral work "Riverdawn", words by Griffin Watkins, his song cycle “On Children”, words by William Blake, and his song “Wattle Gold”, words by Australian poet Irene Cummins. Some of Werther’s works were published in England and Australia, something Werther was very keen to do so they would continue to be appreciated, especially in his home cities.

Werther was also spiritual and followed the Hindu teachings of Swami Omkarananda, writing songs based on his texts. There is also a picture of him in the Callaway Centre collection holding a letter from the Dalai Lama.

Werther shared much correspondence and work with his friend, Professor Frank Callaway. In 1975 Werther arranged his will to stipulate that all his published and unpublished musical compositions with associated prints, recordings and copyrights would be bequeathed to Callaway’s Music Department at the University of WA so his works could continue to be played and enjoyed. Over the next few years, Werther prepared material for deposit in the Music Department’s Wigmore Library which included preparing a printed catalogue of all his works. The collection had been entirely received by the Wigmore Library prior to Werther’s death in 1986. His collection was later moved to the Callaway Centre after the Wigmore Library closed. The final collection donated by Werther also included his personal correspondence and memorabilia such as photographs, scrapbooks, and programs.Honorifics (Titles)DrOther nameRudolf T. WertherDate of birth1896Date of death1986

Document

Catalogue of Musical Compositions by Rudolf T. Werther [green cover]

Catalogue of Musical Compositions by Rudolf T. Werther [yellow cover]

Municipality of Cottlesloe

Opera in Australia

Personal and professional letters of Rudolf T. Werther

Personal letters to Rudolf Werther

Rudolf Werther Project 2003. Folder 1, Pat Adamson

Rudolf Werther Project 2003. Folder 11, University of Greifswald Archives

Rudolf Werther Project 2003. Folder 2, Vicki Blockley

Rudolf Werther Project 2003. Folder 3, Roberta Daley

Rudolf Werther Project 2003. Folder 4, Roland Hähnel

Rudolf Werther Project 2003. Folder 6, Rod McEwen

Rudolf Werther Project 2003. Folder 7, Frances Maber

Rudolf Werther Project 2003. Folder 8, Bruce Okely

Ephemera

Cairns 1945

Documents + Perth 1951-1953

Fellowship of Australian Composers (WA)

For the Wigmore Library Catalogue of the works, tapes, records of the Werther Collection

Mainly Tasmania

Odds and Ends

Opera Season 1953 "Il Seraglio" by W.A. Mozart Cottesloe Open-air Theatre

Programmes of Werther in Perth 1957-1977

Rudolf Werther Project 2003. Folder 10, Peter Sluik

Tasmania 1939 on

The Australian Composer

UWA Music Society 1970 contemporary music by graduates concert

Werther collection tape numbers

[Tasmania's International Week, October 7-14 1945]

Photograph and slide

'Il Seraglio' curtain call, 1953

1950 Cairns

Ball Quartet

Rudolf Werther conducting 'Il Seraglio', 1953

Rudolf Werther with a letter from the Dalai Lama, 1968

Collection

Rudolf Werther Collection

Rudolf Werther Project 2003 Collection

Event

Il Seraglio (1953 : Cottesloe, W.A.)

Rudolf Werther with a letter from the Dalai Lama, 1968 (CAL07.01.2)

Significant place

RelationPlace of birthPlaceBerlin

Significant place

RelationPlace of studyPlaceEdinburgh (Scotland)Date1910s

Significant place

RelationImmigrated toPlaceAustraliaDate1939

Significant place

RelationPlace of residencePlaceLaunceston (Tas.)Datebetween 1939 and 1945

Significant place

RelationPlace of residencePlaceCairns (Qld.)Datebetween 1945 and 1951

Significant place

RelationPlace of residencePlacePerth, Western AustraliaDatefrom 1951

Employment

Job titleCultural DirectorEmployerCottesloe Civic Centre

Connections

Item information

ContributorCallaway CentreReferencesFinding Aid for the Rudolf Werther CollectionRudolf Werther with a letter from the Dalai Lama, 1968

UWA Collected

Rudolf Werther

THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA