Grove's dictionary of music and musicians

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84 RHEINBERGER EHEINBEEGER
Munich Oonservatorium was dissolved Rheinberger
was appointed ' Repetitor ' at the Court
Theatre, where he at onoe favourably impressed
his colleagues by playing and transposing u,
prima vista Wagner's ' Flying Dutchman.' The
environment of the theatre, however, proved
uncongenial. He therefore retired from active
service in 1867, retaining, however, his interest
in the stage.
Much of Rheinberger's earliest success as a
composer was due to his WaUensteiu and
Florentine Symphonies. He at one time
thought of setting the complete Wallenstein
trilogy to music. The project, however, was
discarded in favour of a Symphony, which was
published and first performed in Munich in
1866. The Florentine Symphony was commissioned
by the SocietkOrohestrale of Florence.
In 1868 Rheinberger revised his opera, Die
'
sieben Raben,' and composed the music to
Eaimund's Die unheilbringende Krone.' ' Both
works were successfully produced in Munich the
following year. From 1860 to 1866 Rheinberger
was organist of the Court Church of
St. Michael. He had been since 1854 accompanist
to the Munich Choral Society, and in
1864 he became director. When the present
(1907) 'Kbnigliche Akademie der Tonkunst
1867 by Hans von BLilow, he
was founded in
accepted the position of composition and organ
professor and inspector of instrumental and
theory classes, a post which he held with everincreasing
fame imtil the year of his death.
The title of Royal Professor was conferred upon
him soon after his installation in the Conservatorium,
and in the same year he married Frau
von Hoffnaass, rUe Fraulein Jagerhiiber (bom
October 1822, died December 31, 1892), a
gifted authoress and singer, who wrote the
words of many of her husband's most successful
choral works. In 1877 he was offered the
directorship of the newly-founded Hoch Oonservatorium
at Frankfort-on-Main, but being
unwilling to forsake the congenial artistic surroundings
of Munich, he declined the invitation.
King Ludwig II., to mark his approval and
appreciation, conferred upon him the order of
knighthood of St. Michael. In the same year
Rheinberger resigned his position as musical
director of the Munich Choral Society and succeeded
Franz WUllner as director of the Court
Church music (Konigliche HofcapeUmeister).
This appointment stimulated Rheinberger to
compose many ecclesiastical works, one of which
—a mass in eight parts, dedicated to Pope
Leo XIII. — obtained for him the order of
knighthood of Gregory the Great. In 1899,
on his sixtieth birthday, Rheinberger was
created Doctor honoris causa of the University
of Munich modorum mvMcorum inventm-em
fecundissimum artis ad leges sevoriores adstrictae
praeceptorem subtilissimiom preisend. He died
in Munich, Nov. 25, 1901.
It is comparatively seldom that a highly distinguished
composer attains great success as a
teacher. Rheinberger, however, was accounted
one of the foremost musical theorists and
teachers of his day. Students came to his
composition classes at the Munich Oonservatorium
not only from his own country but from
many European countries, as well as from
America. Three years were required to complete
the full course of theoretical instruction
in these classes. In the iirst year students
were taught free harmonisation of chorales, including
canto fermo in alto,' tenor, and bass
the same for strings with free florid counterpoint.
Second and third year : form, double
counterpoint, fugue, vocal and instrumental in
two to six parts, instrumentation, scoring of
movements from Mozart's and Beethoven's
sonatas and quartets, etc.
As an organ teacher Rheinberger's activity in
his later years was somewhat restricted. His
organ class consisted of four advanced students,
generally chosen because of marked ability.
The organ works of Bach and Mendelssohn, and
Rheinberger's own organ sonatas, received the
greatest amount of attention. He insisted upon
a clear and noble delivery, his remarks upon
the interpretation of his own works being
especially valuable.
Rheinberger's compositions embrace almost
every branch of musical art. All his works
show marked individuality, together with an
absolute mastery of musical technique. It is,
however, as a choral writer and composer for
the organ that he is especially distinguished.
His twelve masses, Stabat Mater, De Profundis,
and many other examples of church music are
marked by earnestness and deep religious feeling.
In Christophorus ' ' (Legend for soli,
chorus, and orchestra, op. 120) Rheinberger
combines religious and secular sentiment in a
masterly and convincing manner. The Christmas
cantata, ' Stern von Bethlehem ' (for soli,
chorus, and orchestra, op. 164), is also remarkable
for its sustained beauty and loftiness of
conception. Amongst his finest secular vocal
compositions are the 'Seebilder,' 'Das Thai
des Espingo,' 'Am Walohensee,' 'Wittekind,'
'Montfort,' '
Toggenburg, ' '
' Die Rosen von
Hildesheim.'
Hans von Biilow and Sir Charles Halle were
the first to introduce Rheinberger's music into
England. At a pianoforte recital which BUldw
gave in London in 1873, he played the'Andante
and Toccata,' op. 12, one of the finest and most
brilliant of Rheinberger's pianoforte compositions.
In the same year at the Musical Union,
and also in the following year at a popular concert,
Bulow gave the Pianoforte Quartet in E flat,
op. 38, which achieved a wide popularity. Among
his pianoforte compositions which have been received
with special favour are the three 'Kleine
Concertstiicke,' op. 5, and ' Aus Italien,' op. 29.