Joseph Sonnleithner
Encyclopedia
Joseph Ferdinand Sonnleithner (3 March 1766, in Vienna
- 25 December 1835, in Vienna
) was an Austrian
librettist, theater director archivist
and lawyer
. He was the son of Christoph Sonnleithner, brother of Ignaz Sonnleithner and uncle of Franz Grillparzer
and Leopold von Sonnleithner. He was a personal friend and attorney of Ludwig van Beethoven
, and he who wrote numerous librettos, among them, Beethoven's stage opera Fidelio
, Faniska
by Luigi Cherubini
and Agnes Sorel of Adalbert Gyrowetz
.
's private office and later in the chancellery. From 1796 to 1796 he published the Wiener Theater-Almanach and in 1802 he became partner in the Kunst und Industrie-Comptoir Publishing House. For a short period from February to August 1804 Sonnleithner was artistic director of the Theater an der Wien
, and from 1804 to 1814 he was secretary of the court theaters in Vienna. He was also a leading figure in the Viennese musical life in the first decades of the nineteenth century and consequently one of the founders of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde
, becoming then its first secretary in 1812.There are memorial plaques in the entrance hall of the Gesellschaft der Musikverein and at this house's ditch #14.
Sonnleithner was one of the earliest collectors of folk songs and information on their composers in Austria, a project which, although never fulfilled, served as the basis of a new musical encyclopedia. A close friendship united him with his nephew, Grillparzer and Franz Schubert
. For his treasured collection of oil paintings from the Baroque period on, which is now kept in the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, he also commissioned a special portrait of Schubert from the artist Anton Depauly
. "A very deserving and funny man." A quote from Joseph Haydn
to Johann Peter Salomon
on 15 May 1799, and, "also a joker like his brother." from Franz von Hartmann's family chronicle.
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
- 25 December 1835, in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
) was an Austrian
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
librettist, theater director archivist
Archivist
An archivist is a professional who assesses, collects, organizes, preserves, maintains control over, and provides access to information determined to have long-term value. The information maintained by an archivist can be any form of media...
and lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
. He was the son of Christoph Sonnleithner, brother of Ignaz Sonnleithner and uncle of Franz Grillparzer
Franz Grillparzer
Franz Seraphicus Grillparzer was an Austrian writer who is chiefly known for his dramas. He also wrote the oration for Ludwig van Beethoven's funeral.-Biography:...
and Leopold von Sonnleithner. He was a personal friend and attorney of Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
, and he who wrote numerous librettos, among them, Beethoven's stage opera Fidelio
Fidelio
Fidelio is a German opera in two acts by Ludwig van Beethoven. It is Beethoven's only opera. The German libretto is by Joseph Sonnleithner from the French of Jean-Nicolas Bouilly which had been used for the 1798 opera Léonore, ou L’amour conjugal by Pierre Gaveaux, and for the 1804 opera Leonora...
, Faniska
Faniska
Faniska is an opéra comique in three acts by Luigi Cherubini. The German libretto, by Joseph Sonnleithner, is based on Les mines de Pologne by René Charles Guilbert de Pixérécourt.-Background:...
by Luigi Cherubini
Luigi Cherubini
Luigi Cherubini was an Italian composer who spent most of his working life in France. His most significant compositions are operas and sacred music. Beethoven regarded Cherubini as the greatest of his contemporaries....
and Agnes Sorel of Adalbert Gyrowetz
Adalbert Gyrowetz
Vojtěch Matyáš Jírovec was a Bohemian composer.- Biography :...
.
Life
Joseph Sonnleithner work for the Viennese court in 1787, first at Joseph IIJoseph II
Joseph II may refer to:*Joseph II *Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor Austria*Patriarch Joseph II of Constantinople *Pope Joseph II of Alexandria...
's private office and later in the chancellery. From 1796 to 1796 he published the Wiener Theater-Almanach and in 1802 he became partner in the Kunst und Industrie-Comptoir Publishing House. For a short period from February to August 1804 Sonnleithner was artistic director of the Theater an der Wien
Theater an der Wien
The Theater an der Wien is a historic theatre on the Left Wienzeile in the Mariahilf district of Vienna. Completed in 1801, it has seen the premieres of many celebrated works of theatre, opera, and symphonic music...
, and from 1804 to 1814 he was secretary of the court theaters in Vienna. He was also a leading figure in the Viennese musical life in the first decades of the nineteenth century and consequently one of the founders of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde
Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde
The Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Wien , was founded in 1812 by Joseph von Sonnleithner, general secretary of the Court Theatre, Vienna, Austria. Its official charter, drafted in 1814, states that the purpose of the Society was to promote music in all its facets...
, becoming then its first secretary in 1812.There are memorial plaques in the entrance hall of the Gesellschaft der Musikverein and at this house's ditch #14.
Sonnleithner was one of the earliest collectors of folk songs and information on their composers in Austria, a project which, although never fulfilled, served as the basis of a new musical encyclopedia. A close friendship united him with his nephew, Grillparzer and Franz Schubert
Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert was an Austrian composer.Although he died at an early age, Schubert was tremendously prolific. He wrote some 600 Lieder, nine symphonies , liturgical music, operas, some incidental music, and a large body of chamber and solo piano music...
. For his treasured collection of oil paintings from the Baroque period on, which is now kept in the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, he also commissioned a special portrait of Schubert from the artist Anton Depauly
Anton Depauly
Anton Felix Depauly, , was a Bohemian painter acting in Austria.-Life and career:Born the son of the municipal archivist John Depauly and Elisabetha, née Schmid, Anton Felix went to the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, where he studied from 1815 to 1826, probably with the help of his uncle who was...
. "A very deserving and funny man." A quote from Joseph Haydn
Joseph Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...
to Johann Peter Salomon
Johann Peter Salomon
Johann Peter Salomon was a German violinist, composer, conductor and musical impresario.-Life:...
on 15 May 1799, and, "also a joker like his brother." from Franz von Hartmann's family chronicle.
Source
- Anna Schirlbauer: Joseph Sonnleithners Sammlung in der Portraitgalerie der Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Wien. Neue Erkenntnisse über ihren Begründer, ihre Bilder und Maler. Mit Abschnitten über die Maler Mähler, Kupelwieser und Depauly und Details über die Entstehung der Sammlung. In: Wiener Geschichtsblätter 62 (2007), H. 1, S. 29-64.
External links
- Joseph Sonnleithner Literature in the online catalog of the Berlin State LibraryBerlin State LibraryThe Berlin State Library is a library in Berlin, Germany and a property of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation.-Buildings:The State Library runs several premises, three of which are open for users, namely House 1 in Unter den Linden 8, House 2 in Potsdamer Straße 33 and the newspaper archive...