Rheinberger, Joseph (Gabriel) (1839-1901)

German organist, teacher, and composer. Although successful in his lifetime in a wide variety of genres he is largely known today for his demanding organ works.

He was so precociously gifted that he was appointed organist at his local parish church at the age of seven. After some lessons at Feldkirch, he went to the Munich Conservatory 1850-54, and continued to study with Franz Lachner on leaving, supporting himself by teaching, and in 1859 became piano professor at the Conservatory. He also worked for a time at the Court Opera, and became a church organist and choral conductor. When the Conservatory was reorganized by Bülow in 1867, he was appointed organ and composition professor. In 1877, he became director of the court church music in succession to Franz Wüllner.

Works Opera and stage the operas Die sieben Raben (1869), Der Tümers Töchterlein (1873), and Das Zauberwort; incidental music for Calderón's Mágico prodigioso; overtures to Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew and Schiller's Demetrius.

Church music numerous Masses, three Requiems, Stabat Mater, motets.

Choral cantatas and choral ballads.

Orchestral symphonies Wallenstein (after Schiller) and ‘Florentine’, Academic (fugal) Overture for orchestra; two organ concertos, piano concerto.

Chamber three string quartets, two piano trios, piano quintet, piano quartet, string quintet; sonatas for violin and piano, cello and piano, horn and piano.

Organ 20 organ sonatas and many other organ works, including 22 trios, 12 Meditations and 24 fughettes.

Other numerous piano works, songs, part songs.