Frantisek Xaver Richter

Czech composer, musician and pedagogue; together with J.V.Stamic the main representative of so called Mannheim School. He studied music in VIenna and Italy. Singer (bass) in the court orchestra of Stuttgart, later director of the Knights Academy in Ettal, Since 1740 bandmaster in Kempten, 1747-69 member of the electoral band of Mannheim. The rest of his life spent in Strasbourg as the bandmaster of the Notre-Dame Orchestra. His chamber and orchestral works became an important contribution to the newly developing classical style. Unlike Stamic, he used also elaborate polyphony in addition to modern classical elements. He also wrote the textbook on Composition and Harmony.

• about 70 symphonies
• concerts for violoncello, horn, clarinet, oboe, flute, cembalo
• 6 string quartets
• oratorium La deposizione dalla croce di Gesú Christo , 1784
• 33 masses
• 3 requiems
• about 40 motets
• Te Deum , 1744
• Psalms Super Flumina Babylonis , 1768

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