Christian Gottlieb Müller
Christian Gottlieb Müller (born February 6, 1800 in Niederoderwitz , † June 29, 1863 in Altenburg ) was a German violinist, composer and later city music director of Altenburg. Today he is best known as one of Richard Wagner's teachers .
Life
Education (1806-1825)
Müller was the son of a linen weaver and came from a poor background. His father encouraged his son's talent at an early age and sent him to an apprenticeship with the city music director of Zittau . There he received training in violin and clarinet and on other orchestral instruments . At this time his admiration for Beethoven's works and his interest in composing developed. He later became a journeyman with the Stadtmusikus von Wurzen . After this time the music director of Göttingen introduced him to Louis Spohr , who in turn took him on as an apprentice. Through a recommendation from Spohr, Müller started a two-year training course with Carl Maria von Weber , who mainly taught him composition . His first works received general attention at the time.
Leipzig years (1825–1838)
In 1825, Müller tried to gain a foothold in Leipzig , as it was then considered the musical center of Europe . He got a job as a violinist in the Gewandhaus Orchestra and became a member of the Gewandhaus Orchestra . With the Euterpe Music Association , which he founded in 1824 , he achieved some recognition; many of his works were performed here for the first time. He wrote several orchestral works, the Concertino in E flat major, Op. 5, for bass trombone and orchestra , which he wrote for his friend and colleague Karl Traugott Queisser and which made both known beyond Leipzig's borders , is particularly well known. It is considered to be one of the best works of high romanticism and was part of the standard repertoire of trombonists until the 1950s. His symphony number 3 also met with general approval and was particularly praised by Robert Schumann . From 1829 to 1831, Müller taught the then high school student Richard Wagner in harmony and the basics of conducting. In 1832 Schumann asked him for instruction in instrumentation. During his time in Leipzig in 1829 he was accepted into the Masonic lodge Balduin zur Linde there; He remained loyal to Freemasonry as the "visiting brother" of the Archimedes Lodge to the three drawing boards in Altenburg, among others. a. as the author of melodies for the Altenburg Masonic songbook. On December 15, 1832, Müller conducted the public premiere of Richard Wagner's Symphony in C major .
Altenburg Years (1838–1863)
Despite his success in Leipzig, Müller had only a moderate financial livelihood. When in 1838 the position of music director in the Duchy of Saxony-Altenburg was approached, he accepted it. His activity as a conductor at Euterpe was now only an occasional guest. On March 24, 1840, the Altenburg theater premiered his romantic magic opera Rübezahl , and his second opera Oleando was first performed in 1859. Müller's greatest work, the oratorio Christ on the Cross , was premiered on Good Friday 1853 with 140 participants in the Brothers Church in Altenburg.
family
His son Richard Müller (1830–1904) was also a composer and founded the Leipzig University Choral Society " Arion ".
Works
- Andante in B flat major for trombone and organ
- Concertino in D minor for bassoon and orchestra
- Concertino for bass trombone and orchestra op.5 (Leipzig, 1832)
- Divertimento in E major
- Three quartets op. 3 for 2 violins, viola and violoncello
- Opera Oleando (Altenburg, 1859)
- Rübezahl opera (Altenburg, 1840)
- Oratory Christ on the Cross (Altenburg, 1853)
- Overture to an Altenburg national melody and the song Auf, auf, du liebes Sachsenland
- Potpourrie for viola accompanied by 2 violins, viola and violoncello
- Symphony No. 1 in G minor, Op. 6 (around 1832)
- Symphony No. 2 in C minor, op. 12 (1835) [erroneously, also referred to by Robert Schumann as the 3rd symphony. This mistake persists to this day. In fact, Müller does not give any numbering even in op. 12! ]
- Symphony No. 3 in F major
- Symphony No. 4 in D major (around 1836/37)
- Symphony No. 5 in A minor (around 1836/37)
literature
chronologically
- Robert Schumann: The 3rd Symphony by CG Müller (1835).
- Robert Eitner: Müller, Christian Gottlieb . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 22, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1885, p. 520 f.
- Hans-Rainer Jung: The Gewandhaus Orchestra. Its members and its history since 1743. Faber & Faber, Leipzig 2006, pp. 83–84.
Individual evidence
- ^ A b Robert Eitner: Müller, Christian Gottlieb . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 22, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1885, p. 520 f.
Web links
- Works by Christian Gottlieb Müller in the catalog of the German National Library
personal data | |
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SURNAME | Müller, Christian Gottlieb |
BRIEF DESCRIPTION | German musician and composer |
DATE OF BIRTH | February 6, 1800 |
PLACE OF BIRTH | Niederoderwitz , Saxony |
DATE OF DEATH | June 29, 1863 |
Place of death | Altenburg |