Josef Rheinberger

{{Infobox person

| name = Josef Rheinberger

| image = Atelier Müller-Hilsdorf, Joseph Gabriel Rheinberger.jpg

| caption =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1839|03|17|df=y}}

| birth_place = Vaduz, Liechtenstein

| death_date = {{death date and age|1901|11|25|1839|03|17|df=y}}

| death_place = Munich, Bavaria

| education = Munich Conservatorium

| occupation = {{ubl | Organist | Composer}}

| works =

| relatives = Peter Rheinberger (brother)
Hermine Rheinberger (niece)

}}

Josef Gabriel Rheinberger (17 March 1839 – 25 November 1901) was an organist and composer from Liechtenstein, residing in Bavaria for most of his life. As court conductor in Munich, he was responsible for the music in the royal chapel. He is known for sacred music, works for organ and vocal works, such as masses, a Christmas cantata and the motet Abendlied; he also composed two operas and three singspiele, incidental music, secular choral music, two symphonies and other instrumental works, chamber music, and works for organ.

Life and career

Rheinberger was born on 17 March 1839 in Vaduz as the son of Johann Peter Rheinberger and his mother Elisabeth Carigiet as one of eleven children, including his brother Peter Rheinberger.{{Cite web |last=Wanger |first=Harald |date=31 December 2011 |title=Rheinberger, Joseph Gabriel |url=https://historisches-lexikon.li/Rheinberger,_Josef_Gabriel |access-date=26 April 2024 |website=Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein |language=de}}

When only seven years old, he was already serving as organist at the Vaduz parish church, and his first composition was performed the following year. In 1849, he studied with composer {{ill|Philipp M. Schmutzer|de}} in Feldkirch, Vorarlberg.{{Cite web |url=http://www.rheinberger.li/JOSEFGRHEINBERGER/ZEITLEISTE.aspx |title=International Rheinberger Society |access-date=14 January 2015 |archive-date=12 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200112155837/https://www.rheinberger.li/JOSEFGRHEINBERGER/ZEITLEISTE.aspx |url-status=dead }}

File:Josef Rheinberger 001.jpg

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 and of composition at the same institution. When this first version of the Munich Conservatorium was dissolved, he was appointed répétiteur at the Court Theatre, from which he resigned in 1867.{{cite web|last=Jameson|first=Michael|publisher=Allmusic|title=Joseph Rheinberger|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/joseph-rheinberger-mn0001179859|access-date=7 July 2012}}

File:Josef and Fanny Rheinberger.jpg

Rheinberger married his former pupil, the poet and socialite {{ill|Franziska von Hoffnaaß|de}} in 1867. They had no children. Franziska wrote the texts for much of her husband's vocal work.

The stylistic influences on Rheinberger ranged from contemporaries such as Brahms to composers from earlier times, such as Mendelssohn, Schumann, Schubert and, above all, Bach. He also painted{{clarification needed|date=February 2025}} for literature in 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, William Berwald, George Whitefield Chadwick, Bruno Klein, Sidney Homer and Henry Holden Huss. Other students of his included important figures from Europe: Italian composer Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari, Serbian composer Stevan Stojanovic Mokranjac, and German composers Engelbert Humperdinck and Richard Strauss and the conductor (and composer) Wilhelm Furtwängler. {{See LMST|Josef|Rheinberger}} 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, after a long illness, his wife died and two years later poor health led him to give up the post of Court Music Director.[http://www.gantengroup.com/wp-content/uploads/rheinberger-booklet.pdf Guy Wagner, "A Master from Liechtenstein"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140103213154/http://www.gantengroup.com/wp-content/uploads/rheinberger-booklet.pdf |date= 3 January 2014 }}

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,Percy Goetschius, Masters of the Symphony (Boston: Ditson, 1929, 331) wrote that Rheinberger "is celebrated mainly for his organ works ... He composed only two symphonies: No. I, Wallenstein, D minor, in the usual four movements, but tracing a definite program, as indicated by the given titles; and No. II, Op. 87, the Florentine." chamber music, and choral works.

{{Multiple image

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| image1 = Grab Josef Gabriel Rheinberger.jpg

| caption1 = The former grave in Munich.

| image2 = GraveJosefAndFranziskaRheinberger-VaduzCemeteryLiechtenstein RomanDeckert04012024.jpg

| caption2 = The grave in Vaduz.

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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),{{cite web|url=http://worcesterago.org/2011/10/dr-ken-wolf-in-memoriam/ |title=Dr Ken Wolf – in memoriam |publisher=Worcester Chapter of the American Guild of Organists |date=21 October 2011 |access-date=11 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201205836/http://worcesterago.org/2011/10/dr-ken-wolf-in-memoriam/ |archive-date= 1 February 2014 }} 22 trios, and 36 solo pieces. His organ sonatas were once declared to be

{{blockquote|

undoubtedly the most valuable addition to organ music since the time of Mendelssohn. They are characterized by a happy blending of the modern Romantic spirit with masterly counterpoint and dignified organ style.|J. Weston Nicholl|

Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians ([https://archive.org/details/grovesdictionar00maigoog 1908 edition]), v. 4, 85}}

Rheinberger died in 1901 in Munich, and was buried in the Alter Südfriedhof. His grave was destroyed during World War II, and his remains as well as those of his wife were moved to his home town of Vaduz in 1950.

Compositions

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| title4 = Theme and Variations for Organ: Variation 3

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| title5 = Theme and Variations for Organ: Variation 4

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| title6 = Theme and Variations for Organ: Variation 5

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This list only mentions works that were assigned an opus number by Rheinberger himself.

Sacred vocal works
Cantatas, including the Christmas cantata Der Stern von Bethlehem (The Star of Bethlehem), Op. 164
14 masses, including the 1878 Cantus Missae for double choir a cappella and 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 operas (Die sieben Raben, Op. 20, after the Grimm fairy tale The Seven Ravens, 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 {{ill|Franz Alfred Muth|de}}
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 sonatas
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 Organ, Klaus Mertens Baritone, Frankfurter Kantorei, Carus-Verlag 1998
Rheinberger: Organ Sonatas Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 11, 12, 16, 17, 19, 20: Bruce Stevens, organ; [https://ravencd.com/merchantmanager/index.php?cPath=2 Raven Recordings]; 4 CDs
Josef Gabriel Rheinberger: Motets, Masses and Hymns, Elizabeth Patterson, Director; Gloriae Dei Cantores; Paraclete Recordings 2011{{Cite web|url=http://www.paracletepress.com/Products/G121/josef-gabriel-rheinberger.aspx|title=Josef Gabriel Rheinberger|website=www.paracletepress.com|access-date=15 March 2017}}
Rheinberger: Geistliche Vokalmusik, Stuttgart Chamber Choir; Carus; 10 CDs{{Cite web|url=http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=1847612|title=Rheinberger: Geistliche Vokalmusik – Carus: CV83336 {{!}} Buy from ArkivMusic|website=www.arkivmusic.com|access-date=15 March 2017|archive-date=16 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170316204714/http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=1847612|url-status=dead}}
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 organ; Priory Records; 6 CDs; 2018{{Cite web|url=https://www.prioryrecords.co.uk/Rheinberger-Sonatas-complete-Roger-Sayer-%20Temple-Church-London-%2020-%20Sonatas-First-%20Complete-%20UK-%20Organ-of%20these-works-since%201970s|title=The Complete Organ Sonatas of Josef Rheinberger – Roger Sayer plays The Organ of The Temple Church, London|access-date=26 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180426213336/https://www.prioryrecords.co.uk/Rheinberger-Sonatas-complete-Roger-Sayer-%20Temple-Church-London-%2020-%20Sonatas-First-%20Complete-%20UK-%20Organ-of%20these-works-since%201970s|archive-date=26 April 2018|url-status=dead}}
[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_k9aELi5-DKou9ha8jRfba0XrhwOsJc59Y 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; [https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHSA%205055 Chandos Records], 2007.
Rheinberger: Concerto No. 1 in F Major for Organ and Orchestra, Op. 137, Michael Murry, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Jahja Ling; Telarc CD-80136, 1987

References

Other sources

{{Etude|title=Rheinberger, Josef Gabriel, 1839–1901}}
{{Catholic Encyclopedia|wstitle=Joseph Gabriel Rheinberger}}

External links

[https://www.rheinberger.li/werkverzeichnis Internationale Josef Gabriel Rheinberger Gesellschaft – list of works]

=Free scores=

{{IMSLP|id=Rheinberger%2C_Josef_Gabriel|cname=Josef Rheinberger}}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20110720214501/http://www.e-partitions.fr/index.php?option=com_jdownloads&Itemid=2&task=viewcategory&catid=76 e-Partitions] Newly edited and typeset organ scores.
{{ChoralWiki}}

=Commercial publishers=

[https://www.carus-verlag.com/en/focus/complete-editions-selected-works/josef-gabriel-rheinberger-complete-works/ Carus Verlag] – complete works
[http://www.editionsilvertrust.com/music-r.htm Editions Silvertrust] – chamber music only

=Free recordings=

[http://www.acc.umu.se/~akadkor/indexENG.html Free recordings by Umeå Academic Choir]:
[http://www.acc.umu.se/~akadkor/cgi-bin/acc_download.cgi/4mp3/Rheinberger%20Kyrie%205.mp3 Kyrie]
[http://www.acc.umu.se/~akadkor/cgi-bin/acc_download.cgi/4mp3/Gloria%20Rheinberger%205.mp3 Gloria]
[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_k9aELi5-DKou9ha8jRfba0XrhwOsJc59Y Rheinberger: Music for Voice and Organ, Patrick Parker, organ, Katie Pollorena, mezzo-soprano]

Category:1839 births

Category:1901 deaths

Category:Burials at the Alter Südfriedhof

Category:Catholic liturgical composers

Category:German classical composers of church music

Category:19th-century German classical composers

Category:19th-century German male musicians

Category:20th-century German classical composers

Category:20th-century German male musicians

Category:Composers for pipe organ

Category:German classical organists

Category:German opera composers