become wonted to unlimited freedom or who seriously believed that some compromises with modern styles of musical expression were desirable in sincere church music. Hence at the centres of Catholic music—in Austria, Bavaria, Italy and France—we find representatives of many different styles working side by side.
The Ratisbon circle received its character from Karl Proske (d. 1861).
Born in 1794, he was first a physician, but in 1823 took up theology at Ratisbon,
specializing in church music, gathering a fine library, raising the cathedral-choir
to high efficiency, and from 1850 editing invaluable collections of
contrapuntal masterpieces, especially Musica divina (from 1853). With him
were associated the choir-regent Johann Georg Mettenleiter (d. 1858), who
was both composer and author; his brother Dominicus Mettenleiter (d.
1868), whose interest lay in historical studies; Joseph Schrems (d. 1872),
cathedral-choirmaster from 1839 and Proske's successor as editor of Musica divina; and Joseph Hanisch (d. 1892), cathedral-organist from 1839, a fine
player and sound composer. Later came Franz Witt (d. 1888), a priest who
in 1867 founded the influential Cäcilienverein and was a strong advocate of
ancient styles; Johann Georg Wesselack (d. 1866), and Michael Haller,
choir-regents after Mettenleiter; Josef Renner (d. 1895), from 1858 a
teacher of singing and choral conductor; and Franz Xaver Haberl (d. 1910), in
1871-82 cathedral-choirmaster and the most celebrated writer and editor of the
group (works from 1864). (See also sec. 227 for the evolution of the
Solesmes group.)
Others who were interested in the a cappella revival were Michael Töpler (d. 1874), trained at Breslau and Berlin, from 1825 at Bruhl and a pioneer in antique music in western Germany; Eduard Rottmanner of Speyer (d. 1843); Raimund Schlecht (d. 1891), a learned scholar at Eichstädt; Karl Kempter of Augsburg (d. 1871); Bernhard Kothe (d. 1897), from 1851 at Oppeln and from 1869 at Breslau; Heinrich Oberhoffer of Luxemburg (d. 1885), founder in 1862 of the periodica Cacilia; Joseph Förster, since 1852 a leading organist at Prague; and Michael Hermesdorff (d. 1885), cathedral-organist at Trèves.
At Vienna the great contrapuntist of the period, though not in antique styles only, was Simon Sechter (d. 1867), from 1824 court-organist and from 1851 professor in the conservatory, who was a very influential teacher as well as a prolific composer. Other church musicians, mostly of the rather showy Viennese school, were Joseph Drechsler (d. 1852); Benedict Randhartinger (d. 1893), who was prominent in the Imperial Chapel from 1832; Gottfried Preyer (d. 1901), from 1838 in the conservatory and for a time its director, and from 1853 choirmaster at St. Stephen's; Ludwig Rotter (d. 1895), who succeeded Sechter in 1867; and Franz Krenn (d. 1897).
With these may be grouped other industrious workers, such as Wenzel Emanuel Horák (d. 1871) and Robert Führer (d. 1861), both of Prague; Johann Kaspar Aiblinger (d. 1867) and Franz Lachner (d. 1890), both of
