Rheinberger, Josef Gabriel

Rheinberger, Josef Gabriel – Overture to Schiller’s “Fiesko” in C minor, JWV 60 (First Print)

Foreword
Josef Gabriel Rheinberger, who is known today mainly for his choral, organ and church music as well as his teacher of composition at the Munich Music School, composed numerous works of the most diverse genres at a young age. These youthful pieces have received little attention so far and are mostly unpublished. If one believes the excellent testimonies Rheinberger received from his composition teachers at the time, a more intensive study of these works seems worthwhile and broadens Rheinberger’s image as a composer. One such early work is the overture to Schiller’s “Fiesko” in C minor JWV 60 for symphony orchestra, which Rheinberger composed in 1856 at the age of 17 and which clearly shows his compositional talent. The overture was performed at least twice in Munich.

Rheinberger was born on March 17, 1839 in Vaduz in Liechtenstein and received early instruction for piano and organ as well as in music theory. At the age of seven, he was appointed organist in the St. Florinskapelle in Vaduz. In 1851, at the age of twelve, he began his music studies at the Munich Conservatory and was the youngest, but also most talented student at the institute. After completing his studies, he worked as a substitute organist, piano teacher and répétiteur at the Oratorio Society before being offered a permanent position as a lecturer for piano in 1859 and for harmony and counterpoint at the Munich Conservatory in 1860. Rheinberger held this position for over forty years until shortly before his death on November 25, 1901. He was involved in the restructuring of the Conservatory into a royal music school and became one of the most sought-after teachers of composition of his time. As a “true ideal of composition teacher”, as Hans von Bülow called him, he had a great influence on later generations of composers. In addition, Rheinberger became solo répétiteur at the Munich Court Theater in 1864 and director of the Oratorio Society, as well as Bavarian Court Kapellmeister in 1877. Furthermore, he received numerous honors such as the appointment as Knight of the Papal Order of St. Gregory and an honorary doctorate from the Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich. …

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