Hiller, Ferdinand (1811–1885)

German pianist, conductor, and composer. He succeeded Felix Mendelssohn as conductor of the Leipzig Gewandhaus 1843–44. From 1850 he lived in Cologne, where he founded the Conservatory.

He was taught music privately as a child and appeared as a pianist at the age of ten. In 1825 he went to Weimar to study under Johann Hummel. After a brief return to Frankfurt he lived in Paris, France, 1828–35, where he taught and gave concerts. He produced his first opera in Milan, Italy, in 1839 and his first oratorio in Leipzig in 1840, then studied with Giuseppe Baini in Rome, lived in Frankfurt, Leipzig, and Dresden, became conductor in Düsseldorf in 1847 and finally in Cologne in 1850, where he remained.

Works Opera Romilda (1839), Die Katakomben (1862), Der Deserteur (1865).

Oratorios Die Zerstörung Jerusalems (1840) and Saul.

Cantatas Nala und Damajanti, Prometheus, Rebecca, and others, including one from Byron's Hebrew Melodies.

Orchestral four symphonies, four overtures (including one to Schiller's Demetrius), and other works; two piano concertos (1835, 1861), violin concerto (1875).

Chamber three string quartets, three piano quartets, five piano trios; violin and cello sonata.

Piano sonata, 24 studies, Modern Suite, and many other works for piano.

Other songs, part songs.