Editing Franz Eckert (section)

==Career==
Eckert was invited to the Empire of Japan as a [[O-yatoi gaikokujin|foreign advisor]] at the behest of the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]]. Eckert served as director of the Navy Band from 1879 to 1880. At the time, the need for an anthem was especially pressing in the Navy, as Japanese officers were embarrassed by their inability to sing their own anthem at flag ceremonies at sea.  The existing anthem had been created by [[John William Fenton]] in 1869.<ref>Joyce, Colin Joyce and Julian Ryall. [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/3192637/British-soldier-who-wrote-Japanese-national-anthem-honoured.html "British Soldier who Wrote Japanese National Anthem Honoured."] [https://web.archive.org/web/20001219165200/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/  ''The Daily Telegraph'' (London)].  14 October 2008.</ref> In 1880, the [[Imperial Household Agency]] adopted a modified melody attributed to [[Hiromori Hayashi]]. Although the melody is based on a traditional mode of Japanese court music, it is composed in a mixed style derived from Western hymns. Some elements of the Fenton arrangement are retained.<ref>Gottschewski, Herman. [http://wwwsoc.nii.ac.jp/tog/bulletin/organ68.pdf "Hoiku shōka and the melody of the Japanese national anthem Kimi ga yo,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611231734/http://wwwsoc.nii.ac.jp/tog/bulletin/organ68.pdf |date=2011-06-11 }} Archived 11 June 2011 at the [[Wayback Machine]] [http://wwwsoc.nii.ac.jp/tog/index_e.html Journal of the Society for Research in Asiatic Music][https://web.archive.org/web/20100706164104/http://wwwsoc.nii.ac.jp/tog/index_e.html Archived 6 July 2010] at the Wayback Machine (東洋音楽研究  11 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine), No. 68 (2003), pp. (1)-(17).</ref>  Eckert rearranged the existing anthem per the [[Gregorian mode]] for Western instrumentation, making suitable modifications for playability at sea, including a four-part vocal arrangement. The new national anthem was first performed in the [[kokyo|imperial palace]] on [[Emperor Meiji]]'s birthday, 3 November 1880.

Between 1883 and 1886 he worked in the Ministry of Education for the Music Examination Board in the area of wind and string music. However, his most important task was the publication of the books of songs for use in Japanese elementary schools. In March 1888, Eckert joined the Department of Classical Music of the [[Imperial Household Agency|Imperial Household Ministry]], established the military band of the [[Imperial Guard of Japan|Imperial Guards]], and founded the military band of the [[Imperial Japanese Army Academy]]. He was active in composing ceremonial music for both the Court and for the military, while introducing a variety of Western [[musical instrument]]s and musical theories on [[melody]] and [[harmony]].

In 1897, he was invited to compose a special song, which he titled ''Kanashimi no kiwami'', for the funeral of Empress Dowager Eishō (widow of [[Emperor Kōmei]]).

Eckert returned to [[German Empire|Germany]] in 1899 due to ill health, and obtained a posting at the [[Berlin Philharmonic]], but was soon appointed music director to [[Wilhelm II, German Emperor|Kaiser Wilhelm II]]. However, his stay in Germany was short, and soon after his health had improved, he accepted an invitation extended by the [[Korean Empire]] to build a court orchestra and to train musicians in European musical instruments and techniques.

Eckert arrived in [[Seoul]] on 19 February 1901. His duties in Korea were similar to those he had previously executed in Japan. He soon had a small court orchestra of two dozen musicians established, which he subsequently built up to 70 members. The orchestra performed regularly at the court, but played every Thursday in [[Tapgol Park|Pagoda Park]] for the general public and for the Seoul-based expatriate community, during which performances, Eckert took the opportunity to publicize his own compositions, as well as those of Richard Wagner. Eckert was soon called upon to supply the harmony for the national anthem of Korea, the ''[[Korean Empire Aegukga|Daehan jeguk Aegukga]]'' which premiered on 9 September 1902. On 20 December 1902, Eckert got 3rd Class of [[Order of the Taegeuk|Order of the Taeguk]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=한국고전종합DB |url=https://db.itkc.or.kr/dir/item?itemId=ST#/dir/node?dataId=ITKC_ST_Z0_A39_11A_21A_00060&solrQ=query%E2%80%A0%ED%83%9C%EA%B7%B9%EC%9E%A5$solr_sortField%E2%80%A0$solr_sortOrder%E2%80%A0$solr_secId%E2%80%A0ST_AA$solr_toalCount%E2%80%A0237$solr_curPos%E2%80%A019$solr_solrId%E2%80%A0BD_ITKC_ST_Z0_A39_11A_21A_00060 |access-date=2022-03-11 |website=db.itkc.or.kr}}</ref> From 5 April 1902, Eckert was instructor of military band of [[1st Siwi Regiment]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=한국사데이터베이스 |url=http://db.history.go.kr/item/level.do?setId=7&totalCount=7&itemId=sk&synonym=off&chinessChar=on&page=1&pre_page=1&brokerPagingInfo=&position=5&levelId=sk_025r_0010_0040_0040_0060&searchKeywordType=BI&searchKeywordMethod=EQ&searchKeyword=%EC%8B%9C%EC%9C%84+%EC%A0%9C+1%EC%97%B0%EB%8C%80&searchKeywordConjunction=AND |access-date=2022-03-29 |website=db.history.go.kr}}</ref> The new anthem had elements from the works of Wagner, and was played before [[Emperor Gojong]], who was himself a Prussian enthusiast. However, only a few years later, in 1910, Korea [[Korea under Japanese rule|was annexed]] by the [[Empire of Japan]], and the anthem was banned in favor of Eckert's earlier creation, the ''[[Kimigayo]]''.