Wendelin Weißheimer
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Wendelin Weißheimer (26 February 1838 – 16 June 1910) was a German composer, conductor, essayist, teacher, and writer on music. He studied with
Franz Liszt Franz Liszt, in modern usage ''Liszt Ferenc'' . Liszt's Hungarian passport spelled his given name as "Ferencz". An orthographic reform of the Hungarian language in 1922 (which was 36 years after Liszt's death) changed the letter "cz" to simpl ...
and was in close contact with
Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most op ...
,
Hans von Bülow Freiherr Hans Guido von Bülow (8 January 1830 – 12 February 1894) was a German conductor, virtuoso pianist, and composer of the Romantic era. As one of the most distinguished conductors of the 19th century, his activity was critical for es ...
,
Peter Cornelius Carl August Peter Cornelius (24 December 1824 – 26 October 1874) was a German composer, writer about music, poet and translator. Life He was born in Mainz to Carl Joseph Gerhard (1793–1843) and Friederike (1789–1867) Cornelius, actors i ...
, Louise Otto-Peters,
Ferdinand Lassalle Ferdinand Lassalle (; 11 April 1825 – 31 August 1864) was a Prussian-German jurist, philosopher, socialist and political activist best remembered as the initiator of the social democratic movement in Germany. "Lassalle was the first man in Ger ...
,
August Bebel Ferdinand August Bebel (22 February 1840 – 13 August 1913) was a German socialist politician, writer, and orator. He is best remembered as one of the founders of the Social Democratic Workers' Party of Germany (SDAP) in 1869, which in 1875 mer ...
and many other notable musicians of his time. He served as composer and conductor of choirs in
Mainz Mainz () is the capital and largest city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Mainz is on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite to the place that the Main (river), Main joins the Rhine. Downstream of the confluence, the Rhine flows to the north-we ...
,
Darmstadt Darmstadt () is a city in the States of Germany, state of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Frankfurt Rhine Main Area, Rhine-Main-Area (Frankfurt Metropolitan Region). Darmstadt has around 160,000 inhabitants, making it th ...
,
Baden-Baden Baden-Baden () is a spa town in the states of Germany, state of Baden-Württemberg, south-western Germany, at the north-western border of the Black Forest mountain range on the small river Oos (river), Oos, ten kilometres (six miles) east of the ...
,
Würzburg Würzburg (; Main-Franconian: ) is a city in the region of Franconia in the north of the German state of Bavaria. Würzburg is the administrative seat of the ''Regierungsbezirk'' Lower Franconia. It spans the banks of the Main River. Würzburg is ...
,
Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
,
Leipzig Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as wel ...
,
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,
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,
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and at
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's
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.


Early life


Origin, family and childhood

The Weißheimer family resided in
Westhofen Westhofen is an ''Ortsgemeinde'' – a municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Alzey-Worms district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Geography Location Westhofen lies between Worms (r ...
in the 14th century. Wendelin's grandfather, Johann Weißheimer I, from
Osthofen Osthofen () is a town in the middle of the Wonnegau in the Alzey-Worms district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Since 1 July 2014 it is part of the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' (a kind of collective municipality) Wonnegau. Osthofen was raised to town on ...
, inherited a stone mill from his mother's family at the end of the 18th century.
Viticulture Viticulture (from the Latin word for ''vine'') or winegrowing (wine growing) is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ran ...
, agriculture,
animal husbandry Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with animals that are raised for meat, fibre, milk, or other products. It includes day-to-day care, selective breeding, and the raising of livestock. Husbandry has a long history, starti ...
and mill grinding were already undertaken on the manor complex in the 19th century. The manor is still owned by the Weißheimer family. This complex was one of the most important in the former
Grand Duchy of Hesse The Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine (german: link=no, Großherzogtum Hessen und bei Rhein) was a grand duchy in western Germany that existed from 1806 to 1918. The Grand Duchy originally formed from the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt in 1806 ...
. Wendelin Weißheimer was born at the Stone Mill
Winery A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, ...
of Osthofen, the eighth and youngest child of Johann Weißheimer II and Ottilie, née Best der Welt. His parents were wealthy and his father, a highly respected and multi-talented man with a keen interest in history and politics, had already been mayor for several years and a member of the first Osthofen
Hessian A Hessian is an inhabitant of the German state of Hesse. Hessian may also refer to: Named from the toponym *Hessian (soldier), eighteenth-century German regiments in service with the British Empire **Hessian (boot), a style of boot **Hessian f ...
''Ständekammer'', which is why Wendelin met, at a young age, men of the March Revolution of 1848 at the Stone Mill. Despite his commitments as landowner and politician, Wendelin Weißheimer's father found time to deal with family and traditional, historical studies, the result of which was his multi-volume
chronicle A chronicle ( la, chronica, from Greek ''chroniká'', from , ''chrónos'' – "time") is a historical account of events arranged in chronological order, as in a timeline. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and lo ...
of the Osthofens recorded in handwritten diaries. He allowed Wendelin to study music, although this clearly contradicted his intentions of making Wendelin his estate's heir.


The path to music

Weißheimer's background differed from other composers in that he did not come from a musical family. His father had intended him to inherit the Stone Mill, and thus he was sent to a secondary school in
Darmstadt Darmstadt () is a city in the States of Germany, state of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Frankfurt Rhine Main Area, Rhine-Main-Area (Frankfurt Metropolitan Region). Darmstadt has around 160,000 inhabitants, making it th ...
when he was only 13 as an apprentice. There, through his piano teacher, a member of the theater orchestra, he had an opportunity to listen to a rehearsal for the performance of ''Tannhauser''. He had heard earlier parts of the music during a visit to a military concert. Weißheimer wrote that these experiences influenced him greatly. In his book: ''Experiences with
Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most op ...
,
Franz Liszt Franz Liszt, in modern usage ''Liszt Ferenc'' . Liszt's Hungarian passport spelled his given name as "Ferencz". An orthographic reform of the Hungarian language in 1922 (which was 36 years after Liszt's death) changed the letter "cz" to simpl ...
and many other contemporaries'', he wrote: "An unsuspected new world had risen for me, in fact." Soon thereafter, in Darmstadt, Wendelin Weißheimer listened to the ''
Lohengrin Lohengrin () is a character in Germany, German Arthurian literature. The son of Percival, Parzival (Percival), he is a knight of the Holy Grail sent in a boat pulled by swans to rescue a maiden who can never ask his identity. His story, which fi ...
'' opera, and in
Frankfurt Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , "Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on its na ...
to the ''Flying Dutchman'', putting him into a Wagnerian
delirium Delirium (also known as acute confusional state) is an organically caused decline from a previous baseline of mental function that develops over a short period of time, typically hours to days. Delirium is a syndrome encompassing disturbances in ...
. In his final year in school Wendelin was introduced to music theory by theater conductor Louis Schindelmeisser. This so captivated him that he soon began to compose. Schindelmeisser was the first to recognize Wendelin's musical talent. He had to persuade Wendellin's father to allow him to pursue his musical intentions. To this end, Schindelmeisser went to the Stone Mill in Osthofen on 16 March 1856. The father's initial astonishment gave way to his approval. On his departure, Schindelmeisser gave young Weißheimer a picture dedicated to him as well as one of many original letters written by Richard Wagner.


Music studies

Wendelin Weißheimer attended the
Leipzig Conservatory The University of Music and Theatre "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" Leipzig (german: Hochschule für Musik und Theater "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" Leipzig) is a public university in Leipzig (Saxony, Germany). Founded in 1843 by Felix Mendelssohn ...
from May 1856. Both Leipzig and
Weimar Weimar is a city in the state of Thuringia, Germany. It is located in Central Germany between Erfurt in the west and Jena in the east, approximately southwest of Leipzig, north of Nuremberg and west of Dresden. Together with the neighbouri ...
had a lively musical scene. While Leipzig was conservative and spurned the new music of Liszt and Wagner, the revolutionary youth in Weimar sought new forms of musical expression and embraced the so-called
New German School The New German School (german: link=no, Neudeutsche Schule, ) is a term introduced in 1859 by Franz Brendel, editor of the ''Neue Zeitschrift für Musik'', to describe certain trends in German music. Although the term has frequently been used in ...
and its genius, Franz Liszt. After completing his studies Wendelin took the post of second conductor at the city theatre in
Mainz Mainz () is the capital and largest city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Mainz is on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite to the place that the Main (river), Main joins the Rhine. Downstream of the confluence, the Rhine flows to the north-we ...
under Schindelmeisser. Before beginning, he traveled to Zurich to visit Richard Wagner, who was living there in exile. Wagner was working on his musical drama
Tristan and Isolde Tristan and Iseult, also known as Tristan and Isolde and other names, is a medieval chivalric romance told in numerous variations since the 12th century. Based on a Celtic legend and possibly other sources, the tale is a tragedy about the illic ...
and usually declined to see visitors. Wendelin was first rejected, but eventually spent one memorable afternoon with the master on 17 July 1858. Weißheimer writes of his encounter: "The pale expressive face of the then forty-five-year-old, accompanied me in town and everywhere else."


Musical career


Conducting in Mainz

Just 20 years old, Weißheimer took up his post as conductor in
Mainz Mainz () is the capital and largest city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Mainz is on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite to the place that the Main (river), Main joins the Rhine. Downstream of the confluence, the Rhine flows to the north-we ...
on 17 August 1858 and, among other things, visited publisher Franz Schott and his musical wife Betty. After a performance of Wagner's
Faust Faust is the protagonist of a classic German legend based on the historical Johann Georg Faust ( 1480–1540). The erudite Faust is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, which leads him to make a pact with the Devil at a crossroads ...
overture, Weißheimer got to know his Rhine-Hessian compatriot, the poet-composer
Peter Cornelius Carl August Peter Cornelius (24 December 1824 – 26 October 1874) was a German composer, writer about music, poet and translator. Life He was born in Mainz to Carl Joseph Gerhard (1793–1843) and Friederike (1789–1867) Cornelius, actors i ...
, who became a lifelong friend.


With Franz Liszt in Weimar

Weißheimer moved back to Weimar after the theatre season. He and Liszt were musically like-minded and so Weißheimer was accepted by Liszt as a student in composition. Lessons were held three to four times a week, for several hours at a time. Weißheimer soon became Liszt's favorite student. Here, in Altenburg, Weimar, home of Liszt's close friend Princess
Carolyne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein Princess Carolyne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein (8 February 18199 March 1887) was a Polish noblewoman (''szlachcianka'') who is best known for her 40-year relationship with musician Franz Liszt. She was also an amateur journalist and essayist. It is co ...
of
Sayn-Wittgenstein Sayn-Wittgenstein was a county of medieval Germany, located in the Sauerland of eastern North Rhine-Westphalia. History Sayn-Wittgenstein was created when Count Salentin of Sayn-Homburg, a member of the House of Sponheim, married the heiress Cou ...
, Weißheimer was introduced to a new musical world. While here he met his friend, Peter Cornelius, who had also come to Weimar in 1860, and was introduced to
Felix Draeseke Felix August Bernhard Draeseke (7 October 1835 – 26 February 1913) was a composer of the "New German School" admiring Franz Liszt and Richard Wagner. He wrote compositions in most forms including eight operas and stage works, four symphonies, ...
, Hans von Bronsart,
Carl Tausig Karl Tausig (sometimes "Carl"; born Karol Tausig; 4 November 184117 July 1871) was a Polish virtuoso pianist, arranger and composer. He is generally regarded as Franz Liszt's most esteemed pupil, and one of the greatest pianists of all time. Life ...
, the
Bohemia Bohemia ( ; cs, Čechy ; ; hsb, Čěska; szl, Czechy) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. Bohemia can also refer to a wider area consisting of the historical Lands of the Bohemian Crown ruled by the Bohem ...
n Smetana,
Franz Bendel Franz Bendel (23 March 18333 July 1874) was a German Bohemian pianist, composer, and teacher. Bendel was born in Schönlinde, Bohemia, Austrian Empire. He was a student of Franz Liszt for five years in Weimar. From 1862, he lived in Berlin an ...
, Gruère and Hans von Bülow among other notables. In Weimar, one of Weißheimer's compositions was first performed by an orchestra. Liszt included Weißheimer's symphony on
Schiller Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (, short: ; 10 November 17599 May 1805) was a German playwright, poet, and philosopher. During the last seventeen years of his life (1788–1805), Schiller developed a productive, if complicated, friendsh ...
's ''
Ritter Toggenburg "Sir Toggenburg" ("Ritter Toggenburg") is a ballad by Friedrich Schiller, written in 1797, the year of his friendly ballad competition with Goethe. The text was used to inspire a symphonic poem of the same name by the New German composer and con ...
'' on the program for the court concerts that he conducted on 13 March 1860. To allow Weißheimer to take part in this concert at the Grand Ducal Palace, which was only accessible to the court and nobility, Liszt had him wear a tail coat and a white tie and placed him in the middle of the string orchestra, where he had to pretend to play the violin. At the end of the concert, the
Grand Duke Grand duke (feminine: grand duchess) is a European hereditary title, used either by certain monarchs or by members of certain monarchs' families. In status, a grand duke traditionally ranks in order of precedence below an emperor, as an approxi ...
and Grand Duchess expressed approval of the composer. The next day on his visit to Liszt, Weißheimer met daughter Cosima, who was married for two years to von Bülow and who would later become Wagner's second wife. Weißheimer's stay in Weimar climaxed in 1861. He presented a musical meeting starting with Liszt's Faust Symphony under Bülow's baton. Weißheimer achieved complete success with the presentation of his ''Grave in Busento'' by the court orchestra and the academic choir of Jena students. Wagner made an unexpected appearance at this event, after eleven years of exile in
Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
.


Friendship with Richard Wagner

In the autumn of 1861 Weißheimer returned to the Mainz theatre as music director. During this period he befriended Wagner. After the Weimar meeting, Wagner tried unsuccessfully to reach Paris in late November where
Prince Metternich Klemens Wenzel Nepomuk Lothar, Prince of Metternich-Winneburg zu Beilstein ; german: Klemens Wenzel Nepomuk Lothar Fürst von Metternich-Winneburg zu Beilstein (15 May 1773 – 11 June 1859), known as Klemens von Metternich or Prince Metternic ...
had provided him with a garden apartment at the Austrian Embassy. On 1 December, he arrived unexpectedly in Mainz to negotiate his stage festival play ''Die Meistersinger von Nuernberg'' with the Schott publishing house. He already had the text and the poetic process was to take place in Paris. During the days in Mainz, Wagner attended the opera performances conducted by Weißheimer and Weißheimer also participated in his meetings with Mrs. Betty Schott. After successfully completing his Meistersinger poetry in less than two months in Paris, Wagner returned to Mainz on 31 January 1862. That same evening, in the Schotts' house, before a selected circle of listeners, Wagner presented the ''Meistersingers poetry. Peter Cornelius and Weißheimer were present. Weißheimer writes about this memorable night that "Wagner carried away with the audience and caused them to rally tumultuously. At the end of the play the audience was aware that they stood at the cradle of a mighty work of art." In order to be able to complete the composition without uninterruption, Wagner rented a small apartment in nearby Biebrich, just below the ducal castle on the
Rhine ), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland , source1_coordinates= , source1_elevation = , source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein , source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland , source2_coordinates= , so ...
. As a result, Weißheimer and Wagner were together almost every day. Weißheimer had become almost indispensable for Wagner, so, despite the 25-year difference in age,Richard Wagner at that time was 48 years old while Wendelin Weißheimer was just 23 a warm friendship developed. Wagner's recurrent financial difficulties prompted Weißheimer to visit his father in order to request financial help for his friend. Johann complied. This was Wagner's first visit to the Stone Mill.Where Wagner met Wendelin's parents, siblings, and last but not least, the "wine" on 1 June 1862 He met Wendelin's parents, siblings, and last but not least, the "wine" on 1 June 1862. When he had to stay in bed a few weeks due to illness, Wagner paid a surprise visit to the Stone Mill to leave Wendelin the only copy of ''The Valkyrie'' for Wendelin's appreciation. In the garden pavilion by the lake shore, known as "Richard-Wagner-house," Wagner spent many hours boozing and proved to be a brilliant entertainer. That August, Wagner returned to the Stone Mill, this time accompanied by Hans and Cosima von Bülow.


Richard Wagner's patron

Weißheimer knew of Wagner's financial problems. ''Die Meistersingers'' was not finished on schedule and Schott held back the payments. Wagner's admirers denied him further assistance. To relieve Wagner's financial difficulties Weißheimer organized a concert at the Leipzig
Gewandhaus Gewandhaus is a concert hall in Leipzig, the home of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. Today's hall is the third to bear this name; like the second, it is noted for its fine acoustics. History The first Gewandhaus (''Altes Gewandhaus'') The fi ...
on 1 November 1862. Despite the personal involvement of Wagner, von Bülow and other renowned artists and organizations with works by Wagner, Liszt and Weißheimer, the attendance at the concert was so low that not enough revenue was collected to cover the costs.This concert was the first time that Richard Wagner was allowed to perform in Germany after his exile. This concert was the first time that Wagner had been allowed to perform in Germany after his exile. Weißheimer writes: "Instead of Wagner filling up his pockets, I quickly had to call my father for help," and again and again latter provided financial support. Wagner no longer held events in Biebrich but moved to Vienna in November 1862. There he again tried to premiere "Tristan," but without success. Although Wagner had a lot of money from a concert tour in Russia in 1863, he was again in financial straits. Finally, he had to flee from Vienna to avoid being put in debtors' prison. On 29 April 1864, Wendelin Weißheimer received a telegram from
Stuttgart Stuttgart (; Swabian: ; ) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the Neckar river in a fertile valley known as the ''Stuttgarter Kessel'' (Stuttgart Cauldron) and lies an hour from the ...
from Wagner, asking him for an immediate visit. Weißheimer went and Wagner reported his financial and psychological breakdown. Weißheimer thus decided to stay with Wagner. Since Wagner was in debt he was urged to disappear. They agreed on a secluded spot in Rauhe Alb, where Weißheimer would accompany him. There Weißheimer intended to finish the piano score of the first ''Meistersinger''s act as quickly as possible in order to persuade the publisher, Schott, to make additional payments. Their journey had been set for 3 May, as Wagner wanted to see a performance of
Don Giovanni ''Don Giovanni'' (; K. 527; Vienna (1788) title: , literally ''The Rake Punished, or Don Giovanni'') is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. Its subject is a centuries-old Spanis ...
conducted by Karl Eckert. However, on 2 May, at the hotel Marquard, the Secretary of King
Ludwig II of Bavaria Ludwig II (Ludwig Otto Friedrich Wilhelm; 25 August 1845 – 13 June 1886) was King of Bavaria from 1864 until his death in 1886. He is sometimes called the Swan King or ('the Fairy Tale King'). He also held the titles of Count Palatine of the ...
, Council of State
Franz Seraph von Pfistermeister Franz Seraph von Pfistermeister (14 December 1820 – 2 March 1912), was the court secretary and State Council of the Kingdom of Bavaria. Pfistermeister entered history not only in the domain of politics but also in the domain of music, when i ...
, appeared with a mission to explore the residence of Richard Wagner and return with him to
Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
. When crown Prince
Ludwig II Ludwig II (Ludwig Otto Friedrich Wilhelm; 25 August 1845 – 13 June 1886) was King of Bavaria from 1864 until his death in 1886. He is sometimes called the Swan King or ('the Fairy Tale King'). He also held the titles of Count Palatine of the ...
listened to Wagner's ''Lohengrin'' he said: "When I am crowned, I want to show the world how much I know of the genius of Wagner." He was seeking a way to maintain his self-given promise. As Wagner's most ardent admirer, he wanted to give him the opportunity to finish his ''
Der Ring des Nibelungen (''The Ring of the Nibelung''), WWV 86, is a cycle of four German-language epic music dramas composed by Richard Wagner. The works are based loosely on characters from Germanic heroic legend, namely Norse legendary sagas and the '' Nibe ...
.'' So, instead of the rough journey to the
Alps The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...
, Wagner went on 3 May 1864 to Munich, and after the reception by the King, returned to Vienna to pay his debts before he moved into the Villa on
Lake Starnberg Lake Starnberg, or ''Starnberger See'' ) — called Lake Würm, or ''Würmsee'' , until 1962 — is Germany's second-largest body of fresh water, having great depth, and fifth-largest lake by area. It and its surroundings lie in three different Ba ...
provided to him by the King.


Ferdinand Lassalle

Wendelin Weißheimer's soon developed a friendship with
Ferdinand Lassalle Ferdinand Lassalle (; 11 April 1825 – 31 August 1864) was a Prussian-German jurist, philosopher, socialist and political activist best remembered as the initiator of the social democratic movement in Germany. "Lassalle was the first man in Ger ...
, the greatest
demagogue A demagogue (from Greek , a popular leader, a leader of a mob, from , people, populace, the commons + leading, leader) or rabble-rouser is a political leader in a democracy who gains popularity by arousing the common people against elites, e ...
of his time. After studying economics, history and philosophy, he dealt primarily with social issues and made it his life's work to create a "democratic party for social progress" which the monarchy respected as the uppermost representative of the people. Weißheimer was attracted by Lassalle's writings. In July 1864 Weißheimer found out that Lassalle had arranged an excursion in the Palatinate with the countess Sophie von Hatzfeld. He invited both to Stone Mill. The news of Lassalle's arrival quickly spread in Osthofen. The villagers watched, with curiosity, as both guests walked from the railway station to the Stone Mill on 6 July. At the Stone Mill the reception was polite. Lassalle captivated the Weißheimer family for hours describing his plans and goals and he spoke with Johann Weißheimer on his studies about Franz von Sickingen. Lassalle made friends there and when they parted, he ordered a barrel of the "
Riesling Riesling (, ; ) is a white grape variety that originated in the Rhine region. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet, and sparkling wh ...
" which he had been served. Wendelin Weißheimer spent several days in the Palatinate with Lassalle, the Countess von
Hatzfeld Hatzfeld (Eder) is a small town in Waldeck-Frankenberg district in Hesse, Germany. Geography Location Hatzfeld lies in west Hesse 25 km northwest of Marburg and north of the Sackpfeife (674 m-high mountain) in the valley of the Eder. ...
and other friends. Wendelin was invited to accompany Lassalle on a trip to the east of Switzerland but, because of an urgent message received from his wife, who had fallen seriously ill in Leipzig, he had to decline the invitation. Lassalle traveled alone to
Lake Lucerne __NOTOC__ Lake Lucerne (german: Vierwaldstättersee, literally "Lake of the four forested settlements" (in English usually translated as ''forest cantons''), french: lac des Quatre-Cantons, it, lago dei Quattro Cantoni) is a lake in central ...
in mid-July, while the Countess von Hatzfeld went to
Wildbad Bad Wildbad is a town in Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located in the government district (''Regierungsbezirk'') of Karlsruhe and in the district (''Landkreis'') of Calw. Its coordinates are 48° 45' N, 8° 33' E. About 10, ...
for a cure. Lassalle met Helena von Dönniges, daughter of historian Wilhelm von Dönniges, known to him from Berlin. This occasion turned disastrous as Lassalle was challenged to a duel and was fatally shot. Lassalle's death was a severe blow that took Wendelin a long time to overcome, convinced that Lassalle's death could have been averted if he had stayed with him. Throughout his life Wendelin remained faithful to the Social Democratic Party, although this commitment brought disadvantages for his professional career.


Weißheimer as conductor and composer

Wendelin Weißheimer became music director in
Augsburg Augsburg (; bar , Augschburg , links=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swabian_German , label=Swabian German, , ) is a city in Swabia, Bavaria, Germany, around west of Bavarian capital Munich. It is a university town and regional seat of the ' ...
. Despite his official duties and numerous other engagements he continued to compose. After scoring songs and
ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...
s of the German
Minnesang (; "love song") was a tradition of lyric- and song-writing in Germany and Austria that flourished in the Middle High German period. This period of medieval German literature began in the 12th century and continued into the 14th. People who wr ...
, as well as from
Goethe Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, and critic. His works include plays, poetry, literature, and aesthetic criticism, as well as treat ...
and other poets, he dealt with his first opera '' Theodor Körner''. Franz Liszt and Wagner spoke appreciatively of this work. Lassalle, who had particularly liked the libretto and was equally enthusiastic about the music, had offered to write Weißheimer a textbook on
Florian Geyer Florian Geyer von Giebelstadt (also spelled ''Geier''; ''c''. 1490 – 10 June 1525) was a German nobleman, diplomat, and knight. He became widely known for leading peasants during the German Peasants' War. Early life Florian Geyer was born ...
, Thomas Munzer or the
Bohemia Bohemia ( ; cs, Čechy ; ; hsb, Čěska; szl, Czechy) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. Bohemia can also refer to a wider area consisting of the historical Lands of the Bohemian Crown ruled by the Bohem ...
n
Jan Žižka Jan Žižka z Trocnova a Kalicha ( en, John Zizka of Trocnov and the Chalice; 1360 – 11 October 1424) was a Czech general – a contemporary and follower of Jan Hus and a Radical Hussite who led the Taborites. Žižka was a successful milita ...
, but his death put an end to this idea. Wagner had written for Weißheimer a draft for the opera, ''Wieland the Blacksmith'', but gave it back before scoring it. For the premiere of ''Theodor Körner'' at the Berlin Court Opera, Liszt began with the former artistic director Count von Redern. However, Count von Redern recommended Liszt to run the premiere on a different stage because Prince Louis Ferdinand was to play a role which would affect the
Prussia Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an em ...
n royal family too strongly. For the premiere to be accommodated elsewhere it would be important to gain Wagner's support, for whom Wendelin had fought for many years. But Wagner was too immersed in his own work to be of any help. Weißheimer's negotiations with Munich moved very slowly. While a conductor at the Augsburg palace, Wendelin married Rosalie Scholle from Leipzig on 10 January 1865. They were married for 45 years but produced no children. Rosalie survived her husband, dying at the age of 79 on 25 September 1920 in Darmstadt. From Augsburg, Weißheimer went to the Kroll Opera in Berlin, then to the theater in Düsseldorf. From 1866 to 1868 he was in
Würzburg Würzburg (; Main-Franconian: ) is a city in the region of Franconia in the north of the German state of Bavaria. Würzburg is the administrative seat of the ''Regierungsbezirk'' Lower Franconia. It spans the banks of the Main River. Würzburg is ...
. From here he tried once again a world premiere of his patriotic opera '' Theodor Körner''. For this reason he looked up to Wagner in Munich. Wagner was living with Hans and Cosima von Bülow in a house on ''Arcisstraße'', donated to him by the king and where Cosima was a housewife who took care of Wagner's correspondence. Wagner soon became interested in Mrs. Bülow. His relationship with Weißheimer began to wane, and Weißheimer drew closer to
Peter Cornelius Carl August Peter Cornelius (24 December 1824 – 26 October 1874) was a German composer, writer about music, poet and translator. Life He was born in Mainz to Carl Joseph Gerhard (1793–1843) and Friederike (1789–1867) Cornelius, actors i ...
at the premiere of the latter's 1865 opera '' Der Cid''. The friendship between Weißheimer and Richard Wagner ended in June 1868. This was after Cosima, without reviewing the music, wrote on 6 July to Weißheimer that the text of his "Theodor Körner" could not be performed in court theaters because its seditious tendency might provoke trouble in peaceful times. Wendelin, like his father, was stubborn and didn't support her views. His disagreement with Cosima came between him and Wagner. The situation was compounded when Wendelin Weißheimer recognised their love affair. He sided with the betrayed von Bülow. At the premiere of ''Die Meistersinger'' in Munich on 21 June 1868, Weißheimer had his last encounter with Wagner.


Weißheimer's last years

From Würzburg Weißheimer came again to conduct in Mainz. During the subsequent activity in Zurich, friendship linked him and his wife to the Wesendonck family. From 1873 to 1878, he worked in
Strasbourg Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the Eu ...
where his opera ''Master Martin And His Companions'' premiered on 14 April 1879 in
Karlsruhe Karlsruhe ( , , ; South Franconian: ''Kallsruh'') is the third-largest city of the German state (''Land'') of Baden-Württemberg after its capital of Stuttgart and Mannheim, and the 22nd-largest city in the nation, with 308,436 inhabitants. ...
. Now Weißheimer moved to
Baden-Baden Baden-Baden () is a spa town in the states of Germany, state of Baden-Württemberg, south-western Germany, at the north-western border of the Black Forest mountain range on the small river Oos (river), Oos, ten kilometres (six miles) east of the ...
where he became in charge of the larger spa concerts. Together with
Otto Dessoff Felix Otto Dessoff (14 January 1835 – 28 October 1892) was a German conductor and composer. Biography Dessoff was born to a Jewish family in Leipzig; his father was a cloth merchant. His musical talent was recognized by Franz Liszt, who then ...
he headed the concerts of the artists meeting with the performance of his ''Master Martin and his companions'' in May 1880. In the large central lodge, Weißheimer listened to the performance together with Liszt and French composer
Camille Saint-Saëns Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (; 9 October 183516 December 1921) was a French composer, organist, conductor and pianist of the Romantic music, Romantic era. His best-known works include Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso (1863), the Piano C ...
outright, receiving from both acclaimed recognition for his accomplishment. In the following years Wendelin Weißheimer conducted for several years despite personal disappointment, with continuing veneration of Wagner's genius, at the famous Teatro
La Scala La Scala (, , ; abbreviation in Italian of the official name ) is a famous opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the ' (New Royal-Ducal Theatre alla Scala). The premiere performan ...
in Milan. He had his residence on the idyllic
Lake Como Lake Como ( it, Lago di Como , ; lmo, label=Western Lombard, Lagh de Còmm , ''Cómm'' or ''Cùmm'' ), also known as Lario (; after the la, Larius Lacus), is a lake of glacial origin in Lombardy, Italy. It has an area of , making it the thir ...
. Around 1893, Weißheimer moved to
Freiburg Freiburg im Breisgau (; abbreviated as Freiburg i. Br. or Freiburg i. B.; Low Alemannic: ''Friburg im Brisgau''), commonly referred to as Freiburg, is an independent city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. With a population of about 230,000 (as o ...
im
Breisgau The Breisgau () is an area in southwest Germany between the Rhine River and the foothills of the Black Forest. Part of the state of Baden-Württemberg, it centers on the city of Freiburg im Breisgau. The district of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald, ...
in order to focus on his literary career. His 1898 book, ''Experiences with Richard Wagner, Franz Liszt and many other contemporaries'' saw three editions in one single year. Around 1900 he moved to
Nuremberg Nuremberg ( ; german: link=no, Nürnberg ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the second-largest city of the German state of Bavaria after its capital Munich, and its 518,370 (2019) inhabitants make it the 14th-largest ...
and from Freiburg and Nuremberg the way led him back again more often to his native homeland at the Stone Mill. In the casino society there he spent hours with old friends whom he pleased most joyfully with improvisations on works by Wagner and Liszt and on his own compositions. In his last years, Weißheimer led mass choirs at social-democratic Party Congresses. His target was the huge masses of the workers' movement. When Weißheimer died on 16 June 1910 in Nuremberg, his death caused great turmoil. 30.000 unionized socialists paid him their respects and read obituaries of him in the leading newspapers.


Works

Weißheimer left 106 works, including songs and choral cycles. Even though he tried compositionally to go his own way, he could not emerge from the shadow of his great teacher Liszt, and of Wagner. His operas, his
cantata A cantata (; ; literally "sung", past participle feminine singular of the Italian verb ''cantare'', "to sing") is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir. The meaning of ...
s, and his instrumental music underline this. Even if his "absolute" music pays homage to one of the great
string quartet The term string quartet can refer to either a type of musical composition or a group of four people who play them. Many composers from the mid-18th century onwards wrote string quartets. The associated musical ensemble consists of two violinists ...
and successful "obligatory
violin The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...
parts" to
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 w ...
's ''
Well-Tempered Clavier ''The Well-Tempered Clavier'', BWV 846–893, consists of two sets of preludes and fugues in all 24 major and minor keys for keyboard by Johann Sebastian Bach. In the composer's time, ''clavier'', meaning keyboard, referred to a variety of in ...
'', he displays in his other works a clear tendency for
program music Program music or programatic music is a type of instrumental art music that attempts to musically render an extramusical narrative. The narrative itself might be offered to the audience through the piece's title, or in the form of program note ...
. Weißheimer's piano pieces ''Reminiscence of Gioventu'' and ''At Beethoven's Grave'', as well as his Symphony for Schiller's ''Knight Toggenburg'' match the spirit of the New German School. His literary taste is evident in the texts he set to music. German minstrel poems, texts by
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, and critic. His works include plays, poetry, literature, and aesthetic criticism, as well as trea ...
,
Friedrich Schiller Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (, short: ; 10 November 17599 May 1805) was a German playwright, poet, and philosopher. During the last seventeen years of his life (1788–1805), Schiller developed a productive, if complicated, friends ...
, Körner,
Heinrich Heine Christian Johann Heinrich Heine (; born Harry Heine; 13 December 1797 – 17 February 1856) was a German poet, writer and literary critic. He is best known outside Germany for his early lyric poetry, which was set to music in the form of '' Lied ...
and others found a musical home in his songs and cantatas. Weißheimer summarized his individual compositions into larger cycles. Thus arose the 24 songs in the cycle "German minstrel," the 18 settings of Goethe, as well as songs from Heine and Körner, appeared for the men's choir "Eight Songs," along with previously unpublished choral cycles. After his departure with Wagner, Weißheimer turned increasingly to the labor movement and exercised with his compositions for male chorus a particular influence on the cultural aspirations of the
Social Democratic Party of Germany The Social Democratic Party of Germany (german: Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands, ; SPD, ) is a centre-left social democratic political party in Germany. It is one of the major parties of contemporary Germany. Saskia Esken has been the ...
.


Printed and frequently performed works


Operas

*1863/1864 '' Lyre and sword'', an alternative titles Theodor Körner (Text: Louise Otto-Peters); Patriotic Opera in Four Acts, premiered in 1872 at the Court and National Theater Munich. *1878 ''Master Martin And His Companions'' (on the story by E.T.A. Hoffmann), premiere at thee Grand Ducal Court Theatre in 1879 in Karlsruhe.


Symphonies

*1860–1862 ''
Ritter Toggenburg "Sir Toggenburg" ("Ritter Toggenburg") is a ballad by Friedrich Schiller, written in 1797, the year of his friendly ballad competition with Goethe. The text was used to inspire a symphonic poem of the same name by the New German composer and con ...
'' (Text: poem by Schiller; symphony for full orchestra), premiere: 1862 Leipzig Gewandhaus. *1870 ''To Mozart'', Symphony for Small Orchestra; premiere Zurich 1871.


Songs and ballads

*1856 '' The Grave in Busento'' (Text: August von Platen-Travemünde Haller), ballad for bass solo, male choir and orchestra, premiered in 1857 / Leipzig. *1858/1859 ''King Sigfrid'' (Text:
Ludwig Uhland Johann Ludwig Uhland (26 April 1787 – 13 November 1862) was a German poet, philologist and literary historian. Biography He was born in Tübingen, Württemberg, and studied jurisprudence at the university there, but also took an interest i ...
), ballad for baritone or bass and piano, Opus 1, dedicated to Franz Liszt. *1864–1866 ''The big company'' (Text: poem by Franz von Gaudy), obituary to Ferdinand Lassalle. *1864–1866 ''Five Spiritual Sonnets'' (texts: poems by Theodor Körner) **''Jesus and the Samaritan woman'' **''Jesus and the sinner'' **''The last supper'' **''Epiphany in Emmaus'' **''Ascension of Christ'' *1868/1869 ''German minstrel'', song cycle, Debut book.
Dietmar von Aist Dietmar von Aist (c. 1115 – c. 1171) was a Minnesinger from a baronial family in the Duchy of Austria, whose work is representative of the lyric poetry in the Danube region. Life One Dietmar von Aist is mentioned by name from about 1139 onwards ...
**No. 1 ''The searchers'' (Soprano) **No. 2 ''The separation'' (Soprano) **No. 3 ''Spring'' (Soprano) *Second book:
Der von Kürenberg Der von Kürenberg or Der Kürenberger (fl. mid-12th century) was a Middle High German poet and one of the earliest Minnesänger. Fifteen strophes of his songs are preserved in the Codex Manesse and the Budapest Fragment. Life Since his given name ...
**No. 1 ''The searchers'' (Soprano) **No. 2 ''The evening star'' (Mezzo-soprano or baritone) **No. 3 ''Love's sorrow'' (Mezzo-soprano) **No. 4 ''The lover farewell'' (Mezzo-soprano and baritone) **No. 5 ''Only one'' (Mezzo-soprano) **No. 6 ''Separation'' (Mezzo-soprano and baritone) *Third book: Spervogel **No. 1 ''Virtue is the most beautiful dress'' (Mezzo-soprano or baritone) **No. 2 ''Rule of Life'' (Alt or bass) **No. 3 ''The Thor'' (Alto or bass) **No. 4 ''The evil time'' (Mezzo-soprano or baritone) **No. 5 ''The good host'' (Bass) *
Heinrich von Veldeke Heinrich von Veldeke (aka: , Dutch Hendrik van Veldeke, born before or around 1150 – died after 1184) is the first writer in the Low Countries known by name who wrote in a European language other than Latin. He was born in Veldeke, which was a ...
**No. 6 ''Love song'' (Tenor) **No. 7 ''Minnelied'' (baritone) **No. 8 ''Power of love'' (Tenor) **No. 9 ''Gray hair'' (baritone or bass) * Wernher von Tegernsee **No. 10 Love Reim (Soprano or tenor) *Folk songs from the 12th century **No. 11 ''Come, O come, my fellow'' **No. 12 ''I have pain in the heart'' (soprano) *Fourth book: Christian von Hamle **No. 1 ''The Anger'' (Baritone or mezzo-soprano) **No. 2 ''Four eyes and two hearts'' (Baritone or mezzo-soprano) **No. 3 ''Guard Song'' (Soprano and baritone) **No. 4 ''Fidelity'' (Tenor) **No. 5 ''Frauenlob'' (Tenor) *
John I, Duke of Brabant John I of Brabant, also called John the Victorious (1252/12533 May 1294) was Duke of Brabant (1267–1294), Lothier and Limburg (1288–1294). During the 13th century, John I was venerated as a folk hero. He has been painted as the perfect model o ...
**''Herba lori fa'' (Soprano or tenor) *1869 ''Songs for voice and pianoforte'' **''Whenever it would remain'' (Text: after a poem by
Friedrich von Bodenstedt Friedrich Martin von Bodenstedt (22 April 1819 – 19 April 1892) was a German author. Biography Bodenstedt was born at Peine, in the Kingdom of Hanover. He was trained as a merchant in Braunschweig and studied in Göttingen, Munich and Berlin. ...
) **''Do you ask with little eyes?'' (Text: after a poem by
Peter Cornelius Carl August Peter Cornelius (24 December 1824 – 26 October 1874) was a German composer, writer about music, poet and translator. Life He was born in Mainz to Carl Joseph Gerhard (1793–1843) and Friederike (1789–1867) Cornelius, actors i ...
) **''Swept'' (Text: after a poem by
Paul Flemming Paul Flemming (born October 8, 1968, in Halifax, Nova Scotia) is a Canadian curler. He currently skips his own team out of Halifax. Curling career Flemming's junior team was successful yet failed to ever win the Nova Scotia Junior Men's Ch ...
) *1892–1896 ''Songs and ballads'' for voice and piano accompaniment (on poems by
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, and critic. His works include plays, poetry, literature, and aesthetic criticism, as well as trea ...
). **No. 1 ''First loss'' **No. 2 ''You!'' **No. 3 ''Mignon'' **No. 4 ''Rescue'' **No. 5 ''Fliegentod'' **No. 6 ''Beweggrud'' **No. 7 ''Girl wishes'' **No. 8 ''Die the fox, then the bellows'' **No. 9 ''Blindekuh'' **No. 10 ''The Shepherd'' **No. 11 ''Different threat'' **No. 12 ''Insuperable'' **No. 13 ''Graceful presence'' **No. 14 ''Over the world'' **No. 15 ''Effect in the distance'' (Ballad) **No. 16 ''The Dance of Death'' (Ballad) **No. 17 ''The singer'' **No. 18 ''The Pied Piper'' *1880 ''The lion's bride'' (after a poem by
Adelbert von Chamisso Adelbert von Chamisso (; 30 January 178121 August 1838) was a German poet and botanist, author of ''Peter Schlemihl'', a famous story about a man who sold his shadow. He was commonly known in French as Adelbert de Chamisso (or Chamissot) de Bonc ...
); concert ballad for voice and orchestra (or piano). *1876 ''German National Anthem'' (Text: after a poem by F.W. Plath) for 4 male voices choir.


Other

*1887–1891 ''An obligatory violin part to all preludes of Johann Sebastian Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier''. *1895–1898 ''Epiphany'' (poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe) for male choir, tenor, baritone and bass solo. *1870–1899 ''Eight Songs for male chorus''. **''The Queen of England'' (folk song from the 12th century) **''John Barleycorn'' (poem by
Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who hav ...
) **''German philistinism'' (poem by
August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben August Heinrich Hoffmann (, calling himself von Fallersleben, after his hometown; 2 April 179819 January 1874) was a German poet. He is best known for writing "Das Lied der Deutschen", whose third stanza is now the national anthem of Germany, an ...
) **''Schneider Kourage'' (poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe) **''The golden calf'' (poem by Heinrich Heine) **''Just wait'' (poem by Heinrich Heine) **''Enlightenment'' (poem by Heinrich Heine) **''Promise'' (poem by Heinrich Heine) **''Tendency song'' (poem by Heinrich Heine) **''Bet 'and work (song by
Georg Herwegh Georg Friedrich Rudolph Theodor Herwegh (31 May 1817 – 7 April 1875) was a German poet,Herwegh, Georg, The Columbia Encyclopedia (2008) who is considered part of the Young Germany movement. Biography He was born in Stuttgart on 31 May 1817, th ...
) "Dedicated to the 25-year-old union of the Social Democracy of Germany and the Social-Democratic Party Congress of Mainz in 1900. *1900–1902 ''Kronzoll Strangler'' (poem by Robert Seidel for four-part male chorus. *1905 ''The free people, the free song'' Federal Parole from Wendelin Weißheimer. *1906 Three songs for male choir. **Up to the light (poem by Emanuel Wurm) **Deep in the earth's womb (poem by Robert Seidel) **Despite all this ("A salute to the reaction of
Ferdinand Freiligrath Ferdinand Freiligrath (17 June 1810 – 18 March 1876) was a German poet, translator and liberal agitator, who is considered part of the Young Germany movement. Life Freiligrath was born in Detmold, Principality of Lippe. His father was a teacher. ...
") **German people and German freedom (poem by Robert Seidel); composition of the Social Democratic Party Congress in
Mannheim Mannheim (; Palatine German: or ), officially the University City of Mannheim (german: Universitätsstadt Mannheim), is the second-largest city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg after the state capital of Stuttgart, and Germany's 2 ...
1906. *1906–1909 ''Three two-voice choir songs'' **''Egyptian folk song 2500 years ago'' **''Five Commandments of Moses'' **''Drinking song'' *1909–1910 ''Two three-voice choir songs'' *From the Christian doctrine: ''The early Christians and Jesus' siblings'' (after a poem by
Max Maurenbrecher Max Heinrich Maurenbrecher (17 July 1874 – 30 April 1929) was a German publicist, pastor and politician. He served as a pastor in the Evangelical State Church of Prussia's older Provinces until 1907. From 1909 to 1916, he preached for the f ...
) *From the nature lesson: ''Carrots, monkey, junker and gendarmes'' (poem by Ludwig Pfau)


Unpublished works


Operas

*''The four-year post'' (after a libretto by Theodor Körner,) completed in 1867. *''Ingeborg of Denmark'' Opera in four acts by Wendelin Weißheimer, completed in 1884. *''The miraculous crucifix'', Opera in three acts (according to a legend of C.F.D. Schubart), unfinished.


Cantatas

*''Oh dear, as long as you can love'' (poem by Ferdinand Freiligrath) Cantata for soloists, chorus and orchestra, later working for women's choir. *''Does not dry the tears of eternal love'' (poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe) for chorus and orchestra, premiered at the Leipzig Gewandhaus 1862. *''Religioso'' (poem by
Emanuel Geibel Emanuel von Geibel (17 October 18156 April 1884) was a German poet and playwright. Life Geibel was born at Lübeck, the son of a pastor. He was originally intended for his father's profession and studied at Bonn and Berlin, but his real interests ...
), Cantata for tenor solo, male chorus and large orchestra. *''Spring song'' (from ''Mirza Schaffy'' by Friedrich von Bodenstedt) for mixed chorus with soprano and tenor solo and piano or orchestra. *''The crickets and the poet or the worse visit'' (poem by Emanuel Geibel) for female choir, baritone solo and piano. *''The dance'' (poem by Paul Fleming) for mixed choir and piano. *''I want to cry'' (poem by Heinrich Heine) for tenor and orchestra, completed in 1859. *''To Fanny'' (ode by
Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock (; 2 July 1724 – 14 March 1803) was a German poet. His best known work is the epic poem ''Der Messias'' ("The Messiah"). One of his major contributions to German literature was to open it up to exploration outside ...
) for tenor and orchestra.


Choirs

*''Choral songs for male and female voices'' – First book: **''Sacred song'' (poem by Paul Flemming) **''On the death of a newborn little daughter'' (poem by Paul Flemming) **''Wedding song'' (poem by
Johann Georg Jacobi Johann Georg Jacobi (September 2, 1740 – January 4, 1814) was a German poet. Biography The elder brother of the philosopher Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi, Johann Georg was born at Pempelfort near Düsseldorf. He studied theology at Göttingen and ...
) **''To nature'' (poem by Friedrich Leopold Stolberg) **''Faith, hope and love'' *Book II: ''Songs and poems'' by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe **''Who never ate his bread in tears'' **''New Year'' **''Delight of melancholy'' **''Spring flower sorakel'' **''Schneider-Courage'' *Thirty-four part songs for male choir **''Hymn'' (poem by Spervogel) **''Folk song from the 12 century'' Hunter song (poem by Ernst Schulze) **''Night song'' (poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe) **''Rhine song'' (poem by Emanuel Geibel)


See also

*
Deutschlandlied The "" (; "Song of Germany"), officially titled "" (; "The Song of the Germans"), has been the national anthem of Germany either wholly or in part since 1922, except for a seven-year gap following World War II in West Germany. In East German ...


Bibliography

* Wendelin Weißheimer: ''Erlebnisse mit Richard Wagner, Franz Liszt und vielen anderen Zeitgenossen'' (Leipzig & Mannheim, 1898) * ''Wendelin Weißheimer. Eine Erinnerungsgabe zum Dritten Heimattag des Landkreises Worms in Osthofen am Rhein'' (1958), including: ** Heinrich Beckenbach: "Wendelin Weißheimer. Ein rheinhessischer Kapellmeister-Komponist", pp. 7–19 ** Anton Maria Keim: "Wendelin Weißheimer zum 120. Geburtstag", pp. 21–24 ** Ernst Laaff: "Wendelin Weißheimer. Kapellmeister und Komponist aus dem Wagner-Kreis", pp. 25–34 ** Ernst Köhm: "Ansprache bei der Enthüllung des Wendelin-Weißheimer-Gedenksteins am 22. Juni 1958", pp. 35–41 * Hans-Peter Schilly: ''Der Nachlass des Osthofener Komponisten Wendelin Weißheimer'' (PhD thesis, Mainz, 1961) * Hans-Dieter Elbert (ed.): ''Wendelin Weißheimers Begegnungen mit Franz Liszt und Richard Wagner'' (Worms Verlag, 2016)


References

*''This article is based on the translation of the corresponding article on the German Wikipedia. A list of all contributors can be found there at the'
History
''section''.


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Weissheimer, Wendelin 1838 births 1910 deaths 19th-century German musicians 19th-century German male musicians 20th-century German conductors (music) 20th-century German male musicians German male classical composers German male conductors (music) German male non-fiction writers German Romantic composers German writers about music People from Osthofen People from Rhenish Hesse