Parents divorced
when Hoffmann was just 2years old. From this point on Hoffmann never
saw his father again.
1792: became
a student of law at Konigsberg University.
1795: successfully
passed law exam and began work as a legal clerk.
1799: composed
his first opera
1800: upon
completion of his final law exam moved to the small town of Posen
(in present day Poland) to work for the Prussian government.
1802: split
with fiancé and cousin Minna Doerffer, then married Michaelina,
a Polish woman.
1803: received
his first literary success, a musical criticism which was awarded
second prise in a writing competition.
1804: transferred
to work in Warsaw, where the lively cultural atmosphere was of great
influence in Hoffmann’s career as a writer.
Became
increasingly aware of the German Romantic literature of the époque
and also continued composing.
At this stage
of his life Hoffmann added Amadeus to his name as a tribute to Mozart.
1806: Napoleonic
war put an end to Hoffmann’s civil service career.
1808: moved
to Bamberg to work as a director in a musical theatre.
1809: writing
career truly began with the publication of Ritter Gluck.
1813: published
several other musical criticisms and a range of short stories anonymously.
1813: became
director of an opera company based in Dresden and Leipzig.
1814: returned
to Berlin and started to enjoy enormous success both as a writer
and in the legal profession.
1815: published
his first novel Elixir des Teufels which became a bestseller,
and also became a Supreme Court judge.
1816: his
opera Undine was a huge success.
After the
Napoleonic wars he became drastically ill and could no longer control
the movement of his limbs.
Died: 25 June
1822 of complete paralysis.
Hoffmann
was introduced to music by his uncle, an amateur musician and his
interest and talent developed quickly. By his early teens he had already
mastered the piano, violin, harp and guitar and had even begun composing.
His interest in the arts was by no means confined to music as he was
also passionate about painting, drawing and literature, in particular
adventure stories and European classics. His evenings and weekends
were almost always filled by various musical, literary or artistic
pursuits- indeed he wrote his first two novels at this stage in his
life- unfortunately these have now been lost. His legal career led
him to Berlin where the rich cultural atmosphere was a great source
of both contentment and inspiration for Hoffmann. He enjoyed socialising
and drinking and became deeply involved with the literary, theatrical
and musical circles of the city. Following his marriage and relocation
the monotony of life in Poland in comparison to the vivacity of the
Berlin atmosphere led him in to a state of depression to the ultimate
point of indulging in somewhat self destructive behaviour, to which
he was prone during the lows in his life.
Hoffmann
was introduced to music by his uncle, an amateur musician and his
interest and talent developed quickly. By his early teens he had already
mastered the piano, violin, harp and guitar and had even begun composing.
His interest in the arts was by no means confined to music as he was
also passionate about painting, drawing and literature, in particular
adventure stories and European classics. His evenings and weekends
were almost always filled by various musical, literary or artistic
pursuits- indeed he wrote his first two novels at this stage in his
life- unfortunately these have now been lost. His legal career led
him to Berlin where the rich cultural atmosphere was a great source
of both contentment and inspiration for Hoffmann. He enjoyed socialising
and drinking and became deeply involved with the literary, theatrical
and musical circles of the city. Following his marriage and relocation
the monotony of life in Poland in comparison to the vivacity of the
Berlin atmosphere led him in to a state of depression to the ultimate
point of indulging in somewhat self destructive behaviour, to which
he was prone during the lows in his life.