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Wenzel Müller

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Wenzel Müller, lithograph by Georg Decker

Wenzel Müller (26 September 1767 – 3 August 1835) was an Austrian composer and conductor. He is regarded as the most prolific opera composer of all time with his 166 operas.[1]

Life and career

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Müller was born in Markt Türnau, in Moravia.[2] He studied with Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf and performed as a theatre musician in his youth. In 1786 he became Kapellmeister at the Theater in der Leopoldstadt in Leopoldstadt, Vienna. After several years at the German theatre in Prague from 1807 until 1813, he returned to Leopoldstadt, where he worked until 1830. Under his leadership, the theatre became one of the most important venues in Viennese musical life. He died in Baden bei Wien.

He was a popular and prolific composer, producing more than 250 works. Although he wrote several popular stage works (mostly Singspiele), his art songs are his enduring legacy. Often possessing witty music and lyrics or expressing a great deal of tenderness, Müller's songs were immensely popular and some of the works he wrote with Ferdinand Raimund remain in the Viennese repertory. His opera Die Schwestern von Prag provided the theme for Beethoven's "Kakadu Variations" for piano trio, Opus 121a. He is said to have composed what has been falsely known as Mozart's Twelfth Mass, K. Anh. 232, the Missa in G major K. Anh. 232 (C1.04).[3]

Müller was married twice, and his second wife was Magdalena Valley Reining. He had children named Therese (1791–1876), Caroline (1814–1868), Ottilia (1816–1817), Carl (born 1815) and Joseph (born 1816), all of whom became opera singers.[4] On 3 August 1835, Müller died of natural causes in Baden bei Wien, Austria, at the age of 67.

Stage works

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Title Genre Sub­divisions Libretto Première date Place, theatre
Harlekin auf dem Parade Beth oder Nach dem Schlimmen folgt das Gute große Pantomime   Anton Baumann 1784; 14 May 1790 Brno; Vienna, Theater in der Leopoldstadt
Das Sonnenfest der Braminen heroisch-komisches Singspiel 2 acts Karl Friedrich Hensler 9 September 1790 Vienna, Theater in der Leopoldstadt
Kaspar der Fagottist oder Die Zauberzither [de] Singspiel 3 acts Joachim Perinet 8 June 1791 Vienna, Theater in der Leopoldstadt
Das neue Sonntagskind Singspiel 2 acts Joachim Perinet, after Philipp Hafner 10 October 1793 Vienna, Theater in der Leopoldstadt
Die Schwestern von Prag Singspiel 2 acts Joachim Perinet, after Philipp Hafner 11 March 1794 Vienna, Theater in der Leopoldstadt
Das lustige Beylager Singspiel 2 acts Joachim Perinet, after Philipp Hafner 14 February 1797 Vienna, Theater in der Leopoldstadt
Die Teufels Mühle am Wienerberg Schauspiel mit Gesang 4 acts Carl Friedrich Hensler/Leopold Huber 12 November 1799 Vienna, Theater in der Leopoldstadt
Die Belagerung von Ypsilon oder Evakathel und Schnudi Karikaturoperette 2 acts Joachim Perinet, after Philipp Hafner 4 May 1804 Vienna, Theater in der Leopoldstadt
Javima Oper 3 acts   21 May 1807 Prague Vienna, Theater in der Leopoldstadt
Samson Melodram 3 acts Joseph Anton Schuster 1808 Vienna, Theater in der Leopoldstadt
Simon Plattkopf, der Unsichtbare Singspiel 1 act Karl Ludwig Costenoble 1809 Vienna, Theater in der Leopoldstadt
Die Wunderlampe Zauberoper 4 acts Josef Alois Gleich 1810 Prague
Der Fiaker al Marquis komische Oper 3 acts Adolf Bäuerle 10 February 1816 Vienna, Theater in der Leopoldstadt
Aline oder Wien in einem andern Welttheil Zauberoper 3 acts Adolf Bäuerle 9 October 1822 Vienna, Theater in der Leopoldstadt
Der Barometermacher auf der Zauberinsel Zauberposse 2 acts Ferdinand Raimund 18 December 1823 Vienna, Theater in der Leopoldstadt
Der schwarze See oder Der Blasebalgmacher und der Geist Zauberspiel 2 acts Lenz? 4 February 1825 Vienna, Theater in der Leopoldstadt
Herr Josef und Frau Baberl Posse 3 acts Gleich 11 May 1826 Vienna, Theater in der Leopoldstadt
Die gefesselte Phantasie Zauberspiel 2 acts Ferdinand Raimund 8 January 1828 Vienna, Theater in der Leopoldstadt
Der Alpenkönig und der Menschenfeind romantisch-komisches Zauberspiel 2 acts Ferdinand Raimund 17 October 1828 Vienna, Theater in der Leopoldstadt

References

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  1. ^ Towers, John. "Who composed the greatest number of operas?" The Musical Times, 1 August 1911, p. 527 (subscription required)
  2. ^ "Český hudební slovník". Ceskyhudebnislovnik.cz. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
  3. ^ Leeson, Daniel N. (2004). Opus Ultimum: The Story of the Mozart Requiem. Algora. pp. 99–100. ISBN 978-0-87586-329-0.
  4. ^ "Grünbaum, Therese". Retrieved 29 February 2012.

Sources

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