![Josef Rheinberger 001](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Josef_Rheinberger_001.jpg)
Josef Gabriel Rheinberger (17 March 1839 – 25 November 1901) was a Liechtensteiner
organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists. In addition, an organist may accompany congregational h ...
and
composer, residing in
Bavaria
Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
for most of his life.
Life
Josef Gabriel Rheinberger, whose father was the treasurer for
Aloys II, Prince of Liechtenstein
Aloys II (Aloys Maria Josef Johann Baptista Joachim Philipp Nerius; 25/26 May 1796 – 12 November 1858) was the sovereign Prince of Liechtenstein from 20 April 1836 until his death in 1858. He was a son of Johann I Joseph, Prince of Liechtenste ...
, showed exceptional musical talent at an early age.
![Rheinberger-Geburtshaus-P2014331a](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Rheinberger-Geburtshaus-P2014331a.JPG)
When only seven years old, he was already serving as organist of the
Vaduz
Vaduz ( or , High Alemannic pronunciation: [])Hans Stricker, Toni Banzer, Herbert Hilbe: ''Liechtensteiner Namenbuch. Die Orts- und Flurnamen des Fürstentums Liechtenstein.'' Band 2: ''Die Namen der Gemeinden Triesenberg, Vaduz, Schaan.'' Hrsg. ...
parish church, and his first composition was performed the following year. In 1849, he studied with composer Philipp M. Schmutzer (31 December 1821 – 17 November 1898) in
Feldkirch, Vorarlberg.
In 1851, his father, who had initially opposed his son's desire to embark on the life of a professional musician, relented and allowed him to enter the
Munich Conservatorium. Not long after graduating, he became professor of
piano
The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ...
and of
composition
Composition or Compositions may refer to:
Arts and literature
*Composition (dance), practice and teaching of choreography
*Composition (language), in literature and rhetoric, producing a work in spoken tradition and written discourse, to include v ...
at the same institution. When this first version of the Munich Conservatorium was dissolved, he was appointed ''
répétiteur
A (from the French verb meaning 'to repeat, to go over, to learn, to rehearse') is an accompanist, tutor or coach of ballet dancers or opera singers. A feminine form, , also appears but is comparatively rare.
Opera
In opera, a is the perso ...
'' at the Court Theatre, from which he resigned in 1867.
![Josef and Fanny Rheinberger](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/Josef_and_Fanny_Rheinberger.jpg)
Rheinberger married his former pupil, the poet and socialite Franziska "Fanny" von Hoffnaass (eight years his senior) in 1867. The couple remained childless, but the marriage was happy. Franziska wrote the texts for much of her husband's vocal work.
The stylistic influences on Rheinberger ranged from contemporaries such as
Brahms
Johannes Brahms (; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the mid-Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, he spent much of his professional life in Vienna. He is sometimes grouped with ...
to composers from earlier times, such as
Mendelssohn
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 18094 November 1847), born and widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositions include sym ...
,
Schumann
Robert Schumann (; 8 June 181029 July 1856) was a German composer, pianist, and influential music critic. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic era. Schumann left the study of law, intending to pursue a career a ...
,
Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert (; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short lifetime, Schubert left behind a vast ''oeuvre'', including more than 600 secular vocal wor ...
and, above all,
Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the ''Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard wor ...
. He was also an enthusiast for painting and literature (especially English and German).
In 1877 he was appointed court conductor, responsible for the music in the royal chapel. He was subsequently awarded an honorary doctorate by
Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. A distinguished teacher, he numbered many Americans among his pupils, including
Horatio Parker
Horatio William Parker (September 15, 1863 – December 18, 1919) was an American composer, organist and teacher. He was a central figure in musical life in New Haven, Connecticut in the late 19th century, and is best remembered as the undergradu ...
,
William Berwald,
George Whitefield Chadwick
George Whitefield Chadwick (November 13, 1854 – April 4, 1931) was an American composer. Along with John Knowles Paine, Horatio Parker, Amy Beach, Arthur Foote, and Edward MacDowell, he was a representative composer of what is called the Se ...
,
Bruno Klein
Bruno Oscar Klein (6 June 1858 — 22 June 1911) was an American composer and organist of German origin. He wrote a number of works for orchestra, some chamber music, church music, and a large number of songs.
Life and career
Born in Osnabrück, ...
,
Sidney Homer
Sidney Homer, Sr. (9 December 1864 – 10 July 1953) was a classical composer, primarily of songs.
Biography
Homer was the youngest child born to deaf parents in Boston, Massachusetts on December 9, 1864 (some sources use 1865). He attended ...
and
Henry Holden Huss
Henry Holden Huss (June 21, 1862 in Newark, New Jersey – September 17, 1953 in New York City) was an American composer, pianist and music teacher. Huss grew up in New York City, the son of German immigrant parents. After studying piano and ...
. Other students of his included important figures from Europe: Italian composer
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari (born Ermanno Wolf) (January 12, 1876 – January 21, 1948) was an Italian composer and teacher. He is best known for his comic operas such as '' Il segreto di Susanna'' (1909). A number of his works were based on plays ...
, Serbian composer
Stevan Stojanovic Mokranjac, and German composers
Engelbert Humperdinck and
Richard Strauss and the conductor (and composer)
Wilhelm Furtwängler
Gustav Heinrich Ernst Martin Wilhelm Furtwängler ( , , ; 25 January 188630 November 1954) was a German conductor and composer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest symphonic and operatic conductors of the 20th century. He was a major ...
. When the second (and present) Munich Conservatorium was founded, Rheinberger was appointed Royal Professor of organ and composition, a post he held for the rest of his life.
On 31 December 1892 his wife died, after suffering a long illness. Two years later, poor health led him to give up the post of Court Music Director.
![Hanfstaengl-Rheinberger](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/Hanfstaengl-Rheinberger.jpg)
Rheinberger was a prolific composer. His religious works include twelve Masses (one for double chorus, three for four voices ''a cappella'', three for women's voices and organ, two for men's voices and one with orchestra), a Requiem and a
Stabat Mater. His other works include several
operas,
symphonies,
chamber music, and
choral works.
Today Rheinberger is remembered above all for his elaborate and challenging organ compositions; these include two concertos, 20
sonatas in 20 different keys (of a projected set of 24 sonatas in all the keys), 22 trios, and 36 solo pieces. His organ sonatas were once declared to be
Rheinberger died in 1901 in Munich, and was buried in the
Alter Südfriedhof. His grave was destroyed during World War II, and his remains were moved to his home town of Vaduz in 1950.
Compositions
This list only mentions works that were assigned an opus number by Rheinberger himself.
* Sacred vocal works
**
Cantatas, including the
Christmas cantata A Christmas cantata or Nativity cantata is a cantata, music for voice or voices in several movements, for Christmas. The importance of the feast inspired many composers to write cantatas for the occasion, some designed to be performed in church serv ...
''Der Stern von Bethlehem'' (The Star of Bethlehem), Op. 164
** 14
masses, including the 1881
Mass in A major, Op. 126, 3
requiem settings, 2 settings of the
Stabat mater
**
Motets, hymns,
lieder
*** among others, ''
Abendlied'' (Op. 69, Nr. 3) after Luke 24,29 (''Bleib bei uns'')
* Dramatic works
** 2
opera
Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...
s (''Die sieben Raben'', Op. 20, after the Grimm fairy tale
The Seven Ravens
"The Seven Ravens" (German: ''Die sieben Raben'') is a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm (KHM 25). It is of Aarne–Thompson type 451 ("The Maiden Who Seeks Her Brothers"), commonly found throughout Europe.
Georgios A Megas co ...
, ''Türmers Töchterlein'', Op. 70)
** 3
Singspiele
** 2 pieces of incidental music
* Secular choral music
** Choir ballads
** Choral pieces with and without accompaniment
** Works for mixed choir
*** e.g., ''Waldblumen'' (Op. 124) – eight songs after texts by
** Works for female and male choirs
* 12 lieder for Voice and Piano
* Orchestral music
** 2
symphonies
** 3
overtures
** Piano concerto in A-flat, Op. 94 (1877)
** 3 other concertos for instruments with orchestra (including two concertos for organ and orchestra)
* Chamber music
** String quartets, string quintets, piano trios, sonatas for solo instruments and piano
*** e.g., Clarinet Sonata, Op. 105 in A major
** 4
piano sonata
A piano sonata is a sonata written for a solo piano. Piano sonatas are usually written in three or four movements, although some piano sonatas have been written with a single movement ( Scarlatti, Liszt, Scriabin, Medtner, Berg), others with ...
s
* Works for organ
** 2 organ concertos
** 20 organ sonatas
** 12 Fughettas, Op. 123
** 12 Monologues, Op. 162
** 12 Meditations, Op. 167
** Preludes, trios, character pieces
** Works for solo instruments (violin and oboe) with organ
Recordings
*''Rheinberger: Missae et Cantiones'',
Wolfgang Schäfer Choir Director,
Edgar Krapp
Edgar Krapp (born June 3, 1947 in Bamberg) is a German organist and music professor. Krapp is a member of the Board of the Neue Bachgesellschaft (New Bach Society) in Leipzig and the Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts.
Biography
Krapp's first organ l ...
Organ,
Klaus Mertens Baritone,
Frankfurter Kantorei,
Carus-Verlag
Carus-Verlag is a German music publisher founded in 1972 and based in Stuttgart.
Carus was founded by choral conductor Günter Graulich and his wife Waltraud with an emphasis on choral repertoire. The catalogue currently includes more than 26,00 ...
1998
*''Rheinberger: Organ Sonatas'' Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 11, 12, 16, 17, 19, 20: Bruce Stevens, organ
Raven Recordings 4 CDs
*''Josef Gabriel Rheinberger: Motets, Masses and Hymns'', Elizabeth Patterson, Director;
Gloriae Dei Cantores; Paraclete Recordings 2011
*''Rheinberger: Geistliche Vokalmusik'', Stuttgart Chamber Choir; Carus; 10 CDs
*''Rheinberger: Klavierwerke'',
Jürg Hanselmann; Carus; 10 CDs; 2011
*''The Complete Organ Sonatas of Josef Rheinberger – Roger Sayer plays The Organ of The Temple Church, London'',
Roger Sayer
Roger Sayer is an English organist and Director of Music at the Temple Church in central London. He was previously Organist and Director of Music at Rochester Cathedral.
Sayer began his musical career as a chorister in Portsmouth and then studied ...
organ; Priory Records; 6 CDs; 2018
Rheinberger: Music for Voice and Organ, Patrick Parker, organ, Katie Pollorena, mezzo-soprano, Seven Eight Records, 2019.*''Rheinberger: Sacred Choral Works'', Phoenix Bach Choir, Kansas City Chorale, Charles Bruffy, conductor
Chandos Records 2007.
References
Other sources
*
*
External links
Internationale Josef Gabriel Rheinberger Gesellschaft – list of works
Free scores
*
e-PartitionsNewly edited and typeset organ scores.
*
Commercial publishers
Carus Verlag– complete works
– chamber music only
Free recordings
*
Kyrie*
GloriaRheinberger: Music for Voice and Organ, Patrick Parker, organ, Katie Pollorena, mezzo-soprano
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rheinberger, Josef
1839 births
1901 deaths
19th-century classical composers
19th-century German composers
19th-century German male musicians
20th-century classical composers
20th-century German composers
20th-century German male musicians
Burials at the Alter Südfriedhof
Catholic liturgical composers
Composers for pipe organ
German classical organists
German male classical composers
German opera composers
German Roman Catholics
German Romantic composers
Liechtenstein composers
Liechtenstein Roman Catholics
Male opera composers
German male organists
People from Vaduz
Male classical organists
19th-century organists