Eduard Wagnes | Composers

Eduard Wagnes was born on March 18, 1863 in Weiz in Styria. His father, a Graz theater musician and brass instruments manufacturer, gave him his first music lessons. At the age of seven, Wagnes was admitted to the music school of the Styrian Music Association, where he learned french horn, and at the age of 15 he was first horn player at the Graz City Theater. He even became solo horn player in the famous orchestra of Eduard Strauss and went on numerous concert tours.

From 1885 Wagnes served in the military, with the 27th Regiment. Ten years later, music bands were formed in the four Bosnian-Herzegovinian regiments. Eduard Wagnes had to build a band in the regiment in Banja Luka from scratch.

Even during his lifetime, Wagnes was a valued musician and conductor. Gustav Mahler wanted to hire him as a horn player, but Wagnes refused. Prince Ludwig, later King Ludwig III, was impressed by Wagnes' work. He received the Golden Cross of Merit with the Crown and became an honorary citizen of the city of Graz, where a street was also named after him.

Wagnes wrote about 300 pieces, more than a third of which were marches. His oeuvre also includes waltzes, a mass, songs and vocal music, and even three operettas.
His most famous march is "The Bosniaks are Coming", composed in 1895.

Eduard Wagnes died in Graz on March 27, 1936.