Allgemeiner Deutscher Musikverein

The Allgemeiner Deutscher Musikverein (ADMV) (General German Music Association) was a German musical association founded in 1861 by Franz Liszt and Franz Brendel, to embody the musical ideals of the New German School of music.

At the Tonkünstler-Versammlung (Musicians Assembly) of 1859 in Leipzig, the organisers, Liszt and Brendel, wanted to open the path for the foundation of a "Allgemeiner Deutscher Musikverein" (General German Music Association), to embody what they thought of as the core principles of the New German School (q.v.) of music. The proposal was introduced by Louis Köhler on the afternoon of June 3, 1861. It was supported in speeches by prominent persons, among them Liszt, and then accepted. On 7 August 1861, at the next Tonkünstler-Versammlung, for this time in Weimar, the foundation of the ADMV took place. The association started with 202 members, 37 of them from abroad.

Liszt left Weimar on August 18, travelling to Silesia, where, from August 22 until September 19, in Löwenberg he was guest of the Prince of Hohenzollern-Hechingen. In a letter to Brendel of September 16, 1861, he wrote:

The letter shows that, according to Liszt's wishes, the endeavors of the "New German School" and those of the ADMV were to be very close, not to say identical. For the purpose of reaching this aim, the steering committee of the ADMV should consist solely of persons with his confidence.

The main initiatives which led to the foundation of the ADMV had nearly all been Liszt's. In 1835 he had published in the Parisian an article series De la situation des artistes ("On the situation of artists"). In his first articles, he had taken a critical look at contemporary Parisian musical life which he found wanting in all aspects. In his last article he had made suggestions for a reorganisation of musical life.

In October 1842 Liszt had been nominated in Weimar as "Kapellmeister in außerordentlichen Diensten" ("Conductor in extraordinary services"). At that time he was travelling virtuoso, touring with concerts through Europe. In the beginning of 1848 he had settled in Weimar. Since 1849 he had tried to install a "Goethe-Stiftung" ("Goethe Foundation") for the purpose of supporting the arts as suggested in his article series of 1835. During the 1850s it became clear that the project could not be realized. The foundation of the ADMV was Liszt's next attempt, and this attempt was a success.

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