Ferdinand Hiller

Ferdinand Hiller (October 24, 1811 - May 12, 1885), German composer, was born at Frankfort-on-Main.

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His first master was Aloys Schmitt, and when he was ten years of age his compositions and talent led his father, a well-to-do man, to send him to Johann Nepomuk Hummel in Weimar. There he devoted himself to composition, among his work being the entractes, to Maria Stuart, through which he made Goethe's acquaintance.

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Under Hummel, Hiller made great strides as a pianist, so much so that early in 1827 he went onatourto Vienna, where he met Beethoven and produced his first quartet. After a brief visit home Hiller went to Paris in 1829, where he lived till 1836. His father's death necessitated his return to Frankfort for a time, but on January 8, 1839 he produced at Milan his opera La Roinilda, and began to write his oratorio Die Zerstorung Jerusalems, one of his best works.

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Then he went to Leipzig, to his friend Mendelssohn, where in 1843-1844 he conducted a number of the Gewandhaus concerts and produced his oratorio. After a further visit to Italy to study sacred music, Hiller produced two operas, Ein Traum and Conradin, at Dresden in 1845 and 1847 respectively; he went as conductor to D?sseldorf in 1847 and Cologne in 1850, and conducted at the Op?ra Italien in Paris in 1851 and 1852. At Cologne he became a power as conductor of the G?rzenich concerts and head of the Conservatorium. In 1884 he retired, and died on the 12th of May in the following year.

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Hiller frequently visited England. He composed a work for the opening of the Royal Albert Hall, his Nala and Damayanti was performed at Birmingham, and he gave a series of pianoforte recitals of his own compositions at the Hanover Square Rooms in 1871. He bad a perfect mastery over technique and form in musical composition, but his works are generally dry. He was a sound pianist and teacher, and occasionally a brilliant writer on musical matters. His compositions, numbering about two hundred, include six operas, two oratorios, six or seven cantatas, much chamber music and a once-popular pianoforte concerto.

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October 24: October 24 is the 297th day of the year (298th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 68 days remaining....

1811: 1811 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar)....

May 12: May 12 is the 132nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (133rd in leap years). There are 233 days remaining....

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