Hans Haym

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Hans Haym was a German conductor who lived from 1860 to 1921. He was born in Halle and studied philosophy and classical philology at Jena and Tübingen, then music in Munich, where he learned composition, piano, organ and singing.

In 1890 he became conductor of the Elberfelder Concert Society, taking over from Julius Buths. On 17 December 1892 he programmed Beethoven’s works, including the cantata in memory of Emperor Joseph II, Piano Concerto No. 5, and Symphony No. 9, with soloists Julia Uzielli, Jenny Hahn, Franz Naval and Anton Sistermans.

Although the audiences were conservative, he kept presenting new music when he could. He gave early performances of Richard Strauss’s Till Eulenspiegels Merry Pranks in 1895 and of Delius’s works, such as Over the Hills and Far Away (Über die Berge in die Ferne) in 1897 and Paris: The Song of a Great City in 1899. He helped introduce Delius to Buths, who later led in Düsseldorf and became a admirer of Delius. Haym also introduced Delius to Fritz Cassirer, director of the Stadttheater in Elberfeld, where Delius’s opera Koanga premiered in 1904.

Around this time Haym fell ill and recovered in the Tyrol. He hoped to become director in Strasbourg but did not get the post. Back in Elberfeld, his orchestra performed with leading musicians such as Raoul Pugno, Eugène Ysaÿe, Pablo Casals, Ferruccio Busoni and Artur Schnabel.

Haym retired in 1920 and died in Elberfeld on 15 February 1921, aged 60.