Robert Führer
Encyclopedia
Robert Führer born Robert Jan Nepomuk Führer, was a Czech
composer
.
. He became the Director of Music at the St. Vitus Cathedral
in 1839 at the age of 32. He was deemed to be very talented, but he lived beyond his means. To support his extravagant lifestyle he sold a valuable Stradivarius
violin which was owned by the dome. This fact was discovered in 1845, when he was dismissed for the crime. Without a church to call home he wandered through several different towns and villages, but never stayed in any one place for too long. During this period he had to support himself from sales of his church music compositions. Luckily this was successful because his music was well loved. No other composer's works enjoyed as widespread performance amongst the choirs in South Germany
and Austria
. His musical style varies from a composer such as Mozart
, and is more in keeping with that of an early Caecilian. His works were often written for rural choirs, meaning that they were not too musically demanding. In spite of this larger and more difficult works can be found in his repertoire. Although his works were sometimes judged to not have been "carefully" composed, he surely was a talented and experienced composer, well loved by his public, who had an innate sense for composing a beautiful melodic line.
Among his most important compositions belong:
Theoretical studies
He tried to pass Franz Schubert
's Mass No. 2
off as his own.
Czech people
Czechs, or Czech people are a western Slavic people of Central Europe, living predominantly in the Czech Republic. Small populations of Czechs also live in Slovakia, Austria, the United States, the United Kingdom, Chile, Argentina, Canada, Germany, Russia and other countries...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
.
Biography
He was born in PraguePrague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
. He became the Director of Music at the St. Vitus Cathedral
St. Vitus Cathedral
Saint Vitus' Cathedral is as a Roman Catholic cathedral in Prague, and the seat of the Archbishop of Prague. The full name of the cathedral is St. Vitus, St. Wenceslas and St. Adalbert Cathedral...
in 1839 at the age of 32. He was deemed to be very talented, but he lived beyond his means. To support his extravagant lifestyle he sold a valuable Stradivarius
Stradivarius
The name Stradivarius is associated with violins built by members of the Stradivari family, particularly Antonio Stradivari. According to their reputation, the quality of their sound has defied attempts to explain or reproduce, though this belief is controversial...
violin which was owned by the dome. This fact was discovered in 1845, when he was dismissed for the crime. Without a church to call home he wandered through several different towns and villages, but never stayed in any one place for too long. During this period he had to support himself from sales of his church music compositions. Luckily this was successful because his music was well loved. No other composer's works enjoyed as widespread performance amongst the choirs in South Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Austria
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...
. His musical style varies from a composer such as Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
, and is more in keeping with that of an early Caecilian. His works were often written for rural choirs, meaning that they were not too musically demanding. In spite of this larger and more difficult works can be found in his repertoire. Although his works were sometimes judged to not have been "carefully" composed, he surely was a talented and experienced composer, well loved by his public, who had an innate sense for composing a beautiful melodic line.
Selected works
Führer wrote about 400 compositions, among them 2 oratorios, 150 masses, 20 requiems and other works.Among his most important compositions belong:
- Mass in A major (1843)
- Requiem in G major (1846)
- Christus im Leiden und im Tode (published by Kränzl in RiedRiedRied is a geographical name for:*Places in Germany**Ried, Bavaria in Landkreis Aichach-Friedberg in Bavaria**District of the city Schrobenhausen, Bavaria**Part of Ebersburg in the District of Fulda in Hessen...
) - Vánoční zpěv (Christmas Song) for soprano (published in 1864)
- Der Landorganist Op. 207 - preludes for organ
Theoretical studies
- Der Rytmus (The Rhythm) (1864)
- Musikalisches-liturgisches Handbuch (Musical-Liturgical Handbook)
- Praktický návod, jak psáti skladby pro varhany (Practical Instruction, How to Write the Compositions for Organ)
He tried to pass 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...
's Mass No. 2
Mass No. 2 (Schubert)
Mass No. 2 in G major by Franz Schubert, D.167 was composed in 1815.This is the best known of the three "shorter" mass compositions which Schubert composed between the more elaborate first and fifth masses...
off as his own.