Lachner, Franz

Preface

Lachner, Franz – Symphony No. 8 in G minor Op. 100

(b. Rain am Lech, 2 April 1803 – d. Munich, 20 January 1890)

Andante – Allegro maestoso p.1
Andante p.71
Scherzo – Allegro assai p.105
Finale – Allegro vivace – Presto p.136

Preface
Franz Paul Lachner, German musician and composer, was born in Rain am Lech, Bavaria, Germany on April 2, 1803. He was the best-known member of a musical family; his older stepbrother Theodor was court organist in Munich and had a fine reputation as a composer, and his brothers Ignaz and Vinzenz were also composers. Altogether Lachner had 13 siblings or half-siblings. Franz was tutored in music by his father Anton, a repairer of clocks who was also a professional church organist. He attended school in Neuburg an der Donau, and studied composition under Eisenhofer. After his father’s death in 1822, Lachner moved to Munich. He struggled at first, but survived by teaching, playing the organ, and performing as instrumentalist in the Isartortheater. The Isartortheater, officially the Royal Court Theater at the Isartor, was a neoclassical theater building in Munich. It was built in 1811–1812 and destroyed during World War II.

Lachner’s first major professional success came when he won the position of organist at the Evangelische Kirche (Lutheran Church) in Vienna after a rigorous audition in December 1823. The following elements were included in the exam: the creation, via improvisation, of a contrapuntal piece in four parts from a supplied theme; performance of a hymn in four parts and ability to sight-read a choral score (a fundamental knowledge of thorough-bass and of composition was required); and the ability to teach and rehearse the children of the Singschule in hymn-singing. Lachner far surpassed any of the other candidates and served the Evangelische Kirche for over ten years (1824–34). He was especially concerned with improving singing and the beauty of public worship. …

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