Franz Poenitz (1850-1912) was born Franz von Burkovitz and had a difficult childhood, fleeing from his father with his sister when he was very young. His mother had died in childbirth, and her sister took the children in. Her husband, the conductor Heinrich Poenitz, quickly recognised Franz’s talent, and he went on to become one of the most important composers for the harp.

In 1876 he became one of the ‘Bayreuth Seven’, the group of harpists at the new Festspielhaus which was built to perform the works of Wagner in. He was a man of wide interests, skiing, hunting, angling and painting. He died in Berlin of complications following an appendectomy.

This CD contains several works receiving their premiere recordings, as well as a touching tribute by Alfred Holy (1866-1948), one of his colleagues in the Royal Court Opera in Berlin – an company Poenitz had been a member of for 50 years.

World premiere recordings.