The art of music, Vol. 03 (of 14) : $b Modern music
History
The art of music, Vol. 03 (of 14) : $b Modern music
Music -- History and criticism; Musicians
Another friend of Mendelssohn was Julius Rietz (1812-77), whose
brother Eduard, the violinist, had been the friend of the greater
master's youth. He, too, after conducting in Düsseldorf, came to the
Leipzig Gewandhaus as Gade's successor in 1848, took Mendelssohn's
place as municipal musical director and taught at the conservatory
until he became court kapellmeister and head of the conservatory in
Dresden. His editorial work, the complete editions of the works of
Bach, Händel, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, and Mozart, published by the
house of Breitkopf and Härtel, are important. His compositions are
wholly influenced by Mendelssohn.
Among the few who actually had the benefit of Mendelssohn's personal
tuition is Richard Wüerst (1824-81), whose activities were, however,
centred in Berlin, where he was musical director from 1874, royal
professor from 1877, and a member of the Academy. His second
symphony (op. 21) was prize-crowned in Cologne and his cantata, _Der
Wasserneck_, is a grateful composition for mixed chorus. Several of his
songs also have become popular.
Karl Reinecke is less exclusive in his influence. He divides his
allegiance at least equally between Mendelssohn and Schumann. He is
the example _par excellence_ of the professional musician, the cobbler
who sticks to his last. He did not, like Hiller, indulge in literary
chit-chat about his art, confining himself to writings of pedagogical
import. He learned his craft from his father, an excellent musician
and drill-master, and never had to go outside his home for direct
instruction. Thus he became an accomplished pianist (unrivalled at
least in one department--Mozart), at nineteen appeared as virtuoso in
Sweden and Denmark, and in 1846-48 was court pianist to King Christian
VIII. After spending some time in Paris he joined Hiller's teaching
staff in Cologne conservatory, then held conductor's posts in Barmen
and Breslau, and finally (1860) occupied Mendelssohn's place at the
Gewandhaus in Leipzig. There, when the new building was dedicated
in 1884, his bust in marble was placed beside those of Mendelssohn
and Schumann, and not till 1885 was he dethroned from his seat of
authority--with the advent of Nikisch. At the conservatory, too, his
activity was continuous from 1860 on--as instructor in piano and free
composition. From 1897 to his retirement in 1902 he was director of
studies.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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