Vinzenz Lachner
Encyclopedia
Vinzenz Lachner (19 July 1811 in Rain am Lech – 22 January 1893 in Karlsruhe
) was a significant German composer and conductor.
He was the youngest brother of Franz Lachner
, also a composer and conductor and well known as a close friend of Franz Schubert
. As a composer Lachner was essentially self-taught. He was first educated by his father Anton Lachner, the municipal organist, and after Anton's death was schooled in Augsburg
, where he subsequently scratched out a living teaching music until his brother Franz arranged for him to become conductor and house musician for Earl Mycielski
of Coscevitz in the Grand Duchy of Poznań
. In 1831 he moved to Vienna
to continue his musical training, becoming assistant conductor at the Court Opera and organist at a Protestant church (though he himself was Catholic). In 1836 he became court conductor at Mannheim
in succession to Franz, where he was so highly valued that his contract was renewed and extended whenever he received offers from other musical centres. In all he remained there for 37 years, during which Mannheim had the reputation of performing the largest repertoire of operas of any city in Germany. Nevertheless, Lachner travelled and conducted widely, as far afield as London
.
Lachner encouraged a number of prominent younger musicians, notably Max Bruch
, Hermann Levi
, and Carl Wolfsohn. His students included Fritz Steinbach
, according to the New Grove entry on the latter. However, instinctively conservative in his tastes, he stood out publicly against the cult of Richard Wagner
, but the formation of a Wagner Association in Mannheim at the beginning of the 1870s was the beginning of the end for his career. Wagner himself came to conduct in Mannheim and, having already engineered the removal of Franz Lachner from Munich, campaigned for Vinzenz (who, to his rage, had conducted Der fliegende Holländer in a mutilated version) to be retired, which was brought about in 1873. He settled afterwards in Karlsruhe, where he continued to teach. Like all the Lachner brothers, he was friendly with Johannes Brahms
. In 1879, he wrote a letter to Brahms asking why he had used trombones, tuba, and a drumroll - trombones being associated with death - early in the pastoral first movement of his Second Symphony; Brahms famously replied in detail, expressing the "great and genuine" pleasure he received from the letter, calling Lachner's analyses unusually perceptive and insightful, then "admitting" that "I am a deeply melancholy person, [to whom] black bird-wings constantly rustle above us."
Lachner died after a number of strokes at the age of 81.
Lachner's compositions include symphonies, overtures, festive marches, works for wind orchestra; a Mass
in D minor, a setting of the 100th Psalm
and other choral works; incidental music to Schiller’s Turandot; a tone poem entitled Lagerleben; a Piano Quartet, String Trio, two String Quartets, 42 Variations on the C major Scale for piano or string quartet; Deutsche Tanzweisen for cello and piano; a set of Ländler
for piano duet (dedicated to Brahms); and numerous songs of which the cycle Scherz im Ernst und Ernst im Scherz was popular during his lifetime. Few of his works have been revived or reprinted, though a recording of the string quartets issued in 2005 reveals a minor master of that genre.
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
) was a significant German composer and conductor.
He was the youngest brother of Franz Lachner
Franz Lachner
Franz Paul Lachner was a German composer and conductor.Lachner was born in Rain am Lech to a musical family . He studied music with Simon Sechter and Maximilian, the Abbé Stadler. He conducted at the Theater am Kärntnertor in Vienna. In 1834, he became Kapellmeister at Mannheim...
, also a composer and conductor and well known as a close friend of 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...
. As a composer Lachner was essentially self-taught. He was first educated by his father Anton Lachner, the municipal organist, and after Anton's death was schooled in Augsburg
Augsburg
Augsburg is a city in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. It is a university town and home of the Regierungsbezirk Schwaben and the Bezirk Schwaben. Augsburg is an urban district and home to the institutions of the Landkreis Augsburg. It is, as of 2008, the third-largest city in Bavaria with a...
, where he subsequently scratched out a living teaching music until his brother Franz arranged for him to become conductor and house musician for Earl Mycielski
Mycielski
Mycielski is a surname of Polish origin, and may refer to:*Dołęga-Mycielski, Polish noble family**Anna Luiza Mycielska, Polish noble lady*Jan Mycielski, Polish-American mathematician**The Mycielskian, a construction in graph theory...
of Coscevitz in the Grand Duchy of Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
. In 1831 he moved to 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...
to continue his musical training, becoming assistant conductor at the Court Opera and organist at a Protestant church (though he himself was Catholic). In 1836 he became court conductor at Mannheim
Mannheim
Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....
in succession to Franz, where he was so highly valued that his contract was renewed and extended whenever he received offers from other musical centres. In all he remained there for 37 years, during which Mannheim had the reputation of performing the largest repertoire of operas of any city in Germany. Nevertheless, Lachner travelled and conducted widely, as far afield as London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Lachner encouraged a number of prominent younger musicians, notably Max Bruch
Max Bruch
Max Christian Friedrich Bruch , also known as Max Karl August Bruch, was a German Romantic composer and conductor who wrote over 200 works, including three violin concertos, the first of which has become a staple of the violin repertoire.-Life:Bruch was born in Cologne, Rhine Province, where he...
, Hermann Levi
Hermann Levi
Hermann Levi was a German Jewish orchestral conductor.Levi was born in Gießen, Germany, the son of a rabbi. He was educated at Gießen and Mannheim, and came to Vinzenz Lachner's notice...
, and Carl Wolfsohn. His students included Fritz Steinbach
Fritz Steinbach
Fritz Steinbach was a German conductor and composer who was particularly associated with the works of Johannes Brahms. Born in Grünsfeld, he was the brother of conductor Emil Steinbach. He studied at the Leipzig Conservatory and in Vienna. Among his teachers were Martin Gustav Nottebohm and Anton...
, according to the New Grove entry on the latter. However, instinctively conservative in his tastes, he stood out publicly against the cult of Richard Wagner
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
, but the formation of a Wagner Association in Mannheim at the beginning of the 1870s was the beginning of the end for his career. Wagner himself came to conduct in Mannheim and, having already engineered the removal of Franz Lachner from Munich, campaigned for Vinzenz (who, to his rage, had conducted Der fliegende Holländer in a mutilated version) to be retired, which was brought about in 1873. He settled afterwards in Karlsruhe, where he continued to teach. Like all the Lachner brothers, he was friendly with Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms was a German composer and pianist, and one of the leading musicians of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna, Austria, where he was a leader of the musical scene...
. In 1879, he wrote a letter to Brahms asking why he had used trombones, tuba, and a drumroll - trombones being associated with death - early in the pastoral first movement of his Second Symphony; Brahms famously replied in detail, expressing the "great and genuine" pleasure he received from the letter, calling Lachner's analyses unusually perceptive and insightful, then "admitting" that "I am a deeply melancholy person, [to whom] black bird-wings constantly rustle above us."
Lachner died after a number of strokes at the age of 81.
Lachner's compositions include symphonies, overtures, festive marches, works for wind orchestra; a Mass
Mass (music)
The Mass, a form of sacred musical composition, is a choral composition that sets the invariable portions of the Eucharistic liturgy to music...
in D minor, a setting of the 100th Psalm
Psalms
The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
and other choral works; incidental music to Schiller’s Turandot; a tone poem entitled Lagerleben; a Piano Quartet, String Trio, two String Quartets, 42 Variations on the C major Scale for piano or string quartet; Deutsche Tanzweisen for cello and piano; a set of Ländler
Ländler
The ländler is a folk dance in 3/4 time which was popular in Austria, south Germany and German Switzerland at the end of the 18th century.It is a dance for couples which strongly features hopping and stamping...
for piano duet (dedicated to Brahms); and numerous songs of which the cycle Scherz im Ernst und Ernst im Scherz was popular during his lifetime. Few of his works have been revived or reprinted, though a recording of the string quartets issued in 2005 reveals a minor master of that genre.