Robert leader

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Robert Johann Nepomuk Führer (born June 2, 1807 in Prague , † November 28, 1861 in Vienna ) was a Bohemian church musician and composer .

Life

Ten-year-old Robert became a choirboy at the St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague under Jan August Vitásek , his godfather . He attended the Humanities School and also received lessons in composition and organ playing from Vitásek . After temporarily representing the cathedral organists , he became the second cathedral organist in 1826 and also had to teach the boys' choir and represent the cathedral music director. In 1830 he became organist in the Strahov Premonstratensian Monastery and on January 11, 1831 first organist at St. Vitus Cathedral. From 1830 he was also a teacher at the newly founded organ school. After Vitásek's death on December 7, 1839, Führer became cathedral music director on December 21, 1839.

His forced marriage on May 8, 1832, was unhappy. Drunkenness, counterfeiting and fraud led to a judicial conviction and the cathedral music director had to submit his resignation on January 6, 1845. Führer separated from his wife and two sons and from then on led an unsteady life. He went to Vienna, then back to Prague. In 1846 he tried to publish the Mass No. 2 in G major by Franz Schubert under his name, but this was soon discovered by Schubert's brother Ferdinand . His other positions were Salzburg , Munich , Augsburg , Freising , Eggenfelden , Braunau am Inn , Gmunden , Vöcklabruck , Wels , Neuhofen near Linz , Sankt Florian , Linz , Maria Taferl , Wolfsegg , Altheim , Ried im Innkreis , Aspach and finally Vienna. In 1859 he was sentenced to imprisonment, which he served in the Garsten prison and, thanks to the benevolence of the prison director Carl Santner , was able to use it for composing. Economic difficulties and frequent illnesses crippled his strength. Having become homeless, he was admitted to the General Hospital on October 4, 1861, where he died a short time later.

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Führer created around 100 masses, requiem, litanies, graduals, and offerings (including Caecilienmesse op. 200, which is also available in German). Organ works included Der Landorganist - op 270 (Preludes, Fugues); Cyprus leaves (6 preludes); Organ Preludes - op. 238; Six little Christmas pastorals - op.271.

The quality of his compositions is very different, in addition to large, valuable creations, occasional compositions of moderate quality were created. However, his ability was recognized and appreciated. Franz Xaver Witt , founder of the German Cäcilienverein and a sharp opponent of his works wrote “[...] that Führer has a compositional ability and technical dexterity in musical composition that is not easy to find; thus he combines a significant ease of invention and a natural flow of melody, qualities that always have for a composer [...] "

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personal data
SURNAME Leader, Robert
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Leader, Robert Johann Nepomuk (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Bohemian church musician and composer
DATE OF BIRTH June 2, 1807
PLACE OF BIRTH Prague
DATE OF DEATH November 28, 1861
Place of death Vienna