After teaching music theory at
Vienna University from 1919, Kornauth embarked on an international career as pianist, accompanist and conductor that took him to
Indonesia (1926-9) and to South America (1934-5). In 1940 he resumed a teaching career in war-time Vienna and
Salzburg. He joined the Nazi-sponsored
Reichsmusikkammer, but continued to support his teacher Adler, who was held under house arrest as a Jew, until the latter's death in 1941.[2] In post-war Austria, Kornauth became director of the Salzburg
Mozarteum (1946-7), and was elected to the
Austrian Arts Senate in 1954. He died in Vienna in 1959.[1]
Kornauth composed extensively and won a number of prizes including the Austrian State Prize (1913) (for his
ViolaSonata op.3), the
Gustav Mahler Foundation prize (1919), and the Austrian Würdigungspreis (1951). His style was however conventional; when the English composer
Humphrey Searle visited Vienna in the 1930s he was displeased to find that the only modern music played by the main orchestras was that of Schmidt "or lesser composers like ... Kornauth."[3] Kornauth himself recognised in his 1958 autobiography that "
epigonism was inherent in my personality."[1] Most of Kornauth's output consists of
lieder,
chamber music and piano pieces, but there are also five orchestral
suites amongst other larger scale pieces.[4]
8 Gesänge nach Richard Smekal (8 Songs after Richard Smekal) for high or medium voice and piano, Op. 12 (1916); words by
Richard Smekal; Nos. 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8 also for voice and chamber orchestra
Nächtliche Fahrt
Schnitterspruch
Versunkenheit
Brief am Abend
Ringelreihen im Frühling
Liebeselegie
Abendlied in der großen Stadt
Maiwanderung
6 Lieder (6 Songs) for medium voice and piano, Op. 21 (1918); also for voice and chamber orchestra
Schließe mir die Augen beide; words by
Theodor Storm
6 Lieder nach Hermann Hesse (6 Songs after Hermann Hesse) for medium voice and piano, Op. 22 (1918); words by
Hermann Hesse; Nos. 1~5 also for voice and chamber orchestra; No. 5 also with string orchestra
Im Grase hingestreckt
Böse Zeit
Oktober
Im Nebel
Drüben
Die leise Wolke
Welt der Zyklamen for voice and piano, Op. 24 No. 3
4 Lieder nach Brentano (4 Songs after Brentano) for high voice and piano, Op. 34 (1931); words by
Clemens Brentano; No. 1 also for high voice, solo flute and string orchestra; Nos. 2 and 3 also for voice and chamber orchestra
Abendständchen
Der Spinnerin Lied
Wiegenlied
Säusle, liebe Myrthe
Schwanenlied for high voice and piano, Op. 34b; words by
Clemens Brentano
8 Lieder nach Eichendorff (8 Songs after Eichendorff) for low voice and piano, Op. 36 (1932); words by
Joseph Freiherr von Eichendorff; No. 1 also for voice and chamber orchestra
Der Einsiedler
Nachts I
Erinnerung
Der Abend
Nachts II
Sterbeglocken
Herbstweh
Abschied
6 Lieder nach Eichendorff (6 Songs after Eichendorff) for high voice and piano, Op. 37 (1932); words by
Joseph Freiherr von Eichendorff
Lockung
Treue
Nachklänge I
Waldeinsamkeit
Die Nachtigallen
Herbst
8 Lieder nach Eichendorff (8 Songs after Eichendorff) for medium-high voice and piano, Op. 38 (1933); words by
Joseph Freiherr von Eichendorff; Nos. 4 and 8 also for voice and chamber orchestra
Im Alter
Die Nacht
Am Strom
Winternacht
Nachtwanderer
Seliges Vergeßen
Nachklänge II
Valet
Choral
Gesang der späten Linden for female chorus and chamber orchestra (or piano quintet), Op. 16 (revised 1933); words by
Richard Smekal
Der Abend for female chorus, flute, clarinet and string quartet, Op. 34a (1931); words by
Clemens Brentano