A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Lachner

LACHNER, a prominent musical family of this century. The father was an organist at Rain, on the Lech, in Bavaria, very poor and with a very large family, but not the less a man of worth and character. He was twice married. One of the first family, Theodor, born 1798, [App. p.694 "died May 22, 1877."] was a sound musician, but unambitious, who ended his career as organist at Munich, and chorus-master at the Court theatre. The second family were more remarkable. Of the daughters, Thekla, born 1803, was recently organist of S. George's church, Augsburg, and Christiane, born 1805, held the same post in her native place, Of the brothers, Franz was born April 2, 1804. He was solidly educated in other things beside music, but music was his desire, and in 1822 he prevailed on his parents to let him go to Vienna. He put himself under Stadler and Sechter, and was constantly in Schubert's company, with whom he became very intimate. In 1826 he was made Vice-Kapellmeister of the Kärnthnerthor theatre, and the next year, on the death [App. p.694 "retirement"] of Weigl, principal Kapellmeister. He retained this post till 1834, and it was a time of great productivity. In 34 he went to Mannheim to conduct the opera there, and in 36 advanced to the top of the ladder as Hofkapellmeister—in 1852 general music director—at Munich, and there remained till 1865, when he retired on a pension. Lachner's writings are of prodigious number and extent. An oratorio, and a sacred cantata; 4 operas; requiems; 3 grand masses; various cantatas, entr'actes, and other pieces; many large compositions for male voices; 8 symphonies—among them those in D minor (No. 3), in C minor (op. 52)—which won the prize offered by the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde—and in D (No. 6), which Schumann finds twice as good as the prize one—suites, overtures and serenades for orchestra, the orchestration of Schubert's 'Song of Miriam'; 3 quartets; concertos for harp and bassoon; trios, duos, pianoforte pieces of all dimensions; and a large number of vocal pieces for solo and several voices. All that industry, knowledge, tact, and musicianship can give is here—if there were but a little more of the sacred fire! No one can deny to Lachner the praise of conscientiousness and artistic character; he is deservedly esteemed by his countrymen almost as if he were an old classic, and holds a similar position in the South to that of Hiller in the North. The next brother, Ignaz, was born in 1807, was brought up to music, and at 12 years old was sent to the Gymnasium at Augsburg, where he is said to have had no less a person than Napoleon III. (then Count St. Leu) as a schoolfellow. In 1824 he joined his brother at Vienna, in 1825 was made Vice-Kapellmeister of the opera; in 1831 a Court music-director at Stuttgart, and in 1842 rejoined his brother in a similar position at Munich. In 53 he took the conduct of the theatre at Hamburg, in 58 was made Court Kapellmeister at Stockholm; and in 61 settled down for good at Frankfort, where he fills many musical positions, and celebrated his 50th anniversary on Oct. 18, 1875. He also has produced a long list of works—3 operas; several ballets, melodramas, etc., etc.; with masses, symphonies, quartets, pianoforte works, and many songs, one of which—'Überall Du'—was very popular in its day. The third brother, Vincenz, was born July 19, 1811, and also brought up at the Augsburg Gymnasium. He began by taking Ignaz's place as organist in Vienna, and rose by the same course of goodness and indefatigable assiduity as his brothers, to be Court Kapellmeister at Mannheim from 1836 till 73, when he retired on a pension. He was in London in 42, conducting the German Company. His music to Turandot, his Prize song 'In der Ferne,' and other pieces, are favourites with his countrymen.

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