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Franz Paul Lachner (2 April 1803 – 20 January 1890) was aGerman composer andconductor.[1]
Lachner was born inRain am Lech to a musical family (his brothersIgnaz,Theodor [nl] andVinzenz also became musicians). He studied music withSimon Sechter andMaximilian Stadler. He conducted at theTheater am Kärntnertor inVienna. In 1834, he becameKapellmeister atMannheim. As a result of composers' aesthetic comparisons ofBeethoven's symphonic output with efforts afterwards, in 1835, there was a competition in Vienna for the best new symphony sponsored byTobias Haslinger of the music publishing firm with no fewer than 57 entries. Lachner received first prize with his 5th SymphonySinfonia passionata, or Preis-Symphonie and became royalKapellmeister atMunich, becoming a major figure in its musical life, conducting at the opera and various concerts and festivals. His career there came to a sudden end in 1864 afterRichard Wagner's discipleHans von Bülow took over Lachner's duties. Lachner remained officially in his post on extended leave for a few years until his contract expired.[citation needed]
Lachner was a well-known and prolific composer in his day, though he is not now considered a major composer. His work, influenced by Beethoven and his friendFranz Schubert, is regarded as competent and craftsman-like, but is now generally little known.[1] Among his greatest successes were his operaCatarina Cornaro (1841, precedingDonizetti'sopera by three years), hisRequiem, and his seventhorchestral suite (1881).
In the present day it may be hisorgansonatas (Opp. 175, 176, 177) andchamber music, in particular his music forwind instruments, that receive the most attention, though his string quartets and some of his eight symphonies have been performed and recorded. His songs, some of which are set to the same texts that Schubert used, contributed to the development of the GermanLied.
For performances ofCherubini'sMédée in Frankfurt in 1855, Lachner composedrecitatives to replace the original spoken dialogue, and it was this version, translated into Italian, which was used in many twentieth-century revivals and recordings of that opera, most notably those withMaria Callas in the title role.
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