A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Stadler, Maximilian
STADLER, Maximilian, Abbot, a sound and solid composer, born August 4, 1748, at Melk, in Lower Austria. At ten became a chorister in the monastery of Lilienfeld, where he learnt music, completing his education in the Jesuit College at Vienna. In 1766 he joined the Benedictines at Melk, and after taking priest's orders worked as a parish-priest and professor till 1786, when the Emperor Joseph, who had noticed his organ-playing, made him abbot first of Lilienfeld, and three years later of Kremsmünster. Here his prudence averted the suppression of that then famous astronomical observatory. After this he lived at various country houses, then privately at Linz, and finally settled in Vienna. Haydn and Mozart had been old friends of his, and at the request of the widow he put Mozart's musical remains in order, and copied from the autograph score of the 'Requiem,' the Requiem and Kyrie, and the Dies irae, both copy and original being now in the Hofbibliothek at Vienna. [See vol. ii. p. 402a.] He also came forward in defence of the Requiem against Gottfried Weber, in two pamphlets—'Vertheidigung der Echtheit des Mozart'schen Requiem' (Vienna 1826), and 'Nachtrag zur Vertheidigung,' etc. (Ib. 1827). Stadler was an excellent contrapuntist, and an authority in musical literature and history. His printed compositions include, Sonatas and fugues for PF. and organ; part-songs; two requiems; several masses; a Te Deum; 'Die Frühlingsfeier,' cantata, with orchestra, to Klopstock's words; psalms, misereres, responses, offertories, etc.; also a response to Haydn's farewell-card for two voices and PF. [See vol. i. p. 715.] Among his numerous MSS. are fine choruses for Collin's tragedy, 'Polyxena.' Stadler's greatest work, 'Die Befreiung von Jerusalem,' an oratorio in two parts, words by Heinrich and Matthaus von Collin, was given with great success in 1816 at the annual extra ooncert of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, for the benefit of the proposed Conservatorium, and in 1829 at Zurich.
Stadler died in Vienna Nov. 8, 1833, highly esteemed both as man and musician.