Albert Dietrich

Who was Albert Dietrich?

Albert Hermann Dietrich, was a German composer and conductor, remembered less for his own achievements than for his friendship with Johannes Brahms.

Dietrich was born at Golk, near Meissen. From 1851 he studied composition with Robert Schumann in Düsseldorf, where in October 1853 he first met Brahms and collaborated with Schumann and Brahms on the 'F-A-E' Sonata for Joseph Joachim. From 1861 until 1890 he was the musical director at the court of Oldenburg, where Brahms often visited him and where he introduced many of Brahms’s works. It was in Dietrich’s library that Brahms discovered the volume of poetry by Hölderlin that furnished him with the text for his Schicksalslied, which he began composing while visiting Wilhelmshaven dockyard in Dietrich’s company. Dietrich was also instrumental in arranging for the premiere of Brahms’s Ein deutsches Requiem at Bremen in 1868. Dietrich’s own works include an opera Robin Hood, a Symphony in D minor, a Violin Concerto in the same key, a Cello Concerto, Horn Concerto, choral works and several chamber compositions including two piano trios.