Viktor (or Victor) Ernst Nessler (28 January 1841 – 28 May 1890) was an Alsatian

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

who worked mainly in

Leipzig Leipzig (, ; ; Upper Saxon: ; ) is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Saxony. The city has a population of 628,718 inhabitants as of 2023. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, eighth-largest city in Ge ...

. Nessler was born at Baldenheim near

Sélestat Sélestat (; Alsatian language, Alsatian: ''Schlettstàdt''; German: ''Schlettstadt'') is a Communes of France, commune in the Grand Est region of France. An administrative division (Subprefectures in France, sous-préfecture) of the Bas-Rhin Depa ...

Alsace Alsace (, ; ) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in the Grand Est administrative region of northeastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine, next to Germany and Switzerland. In January 2021, it had a population of 1,9 ...

. At

Strasbourg Strasbourg ( , ; ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est Regions of France, region of Geography of France, eastern France, in the historic region of Alsace. It is the prefecture of the Bas-Rhin Departmen ...

he began his university career with the study of

theology Theology is the study of religious belief from a Religion, religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an Discipline (academia), academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itse ...

, but he concluded it with the production of a light

opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...

entitled ''Fleurette'' (1864). To complete his knowledge of music Nessler went to

to study with

Moritz Hauptmann Moritz Hauptmann (13 October 1792, Dresden – 3 January 1868, Leipzig), was a German music theorist, teacher and composer. His principal theoretical work is the 1853 ''Die Natur der Harmonie und der Metrik'' explores numerous topics, particu ...

. In 1870, he was appointed chorus master and later conductor of the Caroltheater, Leipzig."Nessler, Victor" ''The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Opera''. John Warrack and Ewan West. Oxford University Press, 1996. ''Oxford Reference Online''. Oxford University Press. (Retrieved April 01, 2008), ./ His musically conservative, mock-Gothic, fairy-tale operas, notably ''

Der Rattenfänger von Hameln ''Der Rattenfänger von Hameln'' (''The Rat-Catcher of Hamelin'' or ''The Piper of Hamelin'') is a grand opera (''Große Oper'') in five acts by Viktor Nessler. The German libretto by is based on a 1875 romantic poem by Julius Wolff about the Pi ...

'' (''

The Pied Piper of Hamelin The Pied Piper of Hamelin (, also known as the Pan Piper or the Rat-Catcher of Hamelin) is the title character of a legend from the town of Hamelin (Hameln), Lower Saxony, Germany. The legend dates back to the Middle Ages. The earliest refer ...

'') (1879) and ''

Der Trompeter von Säkkingen Der or DER may refer to: Places * Darkənd, Azerbaijan * Dearborn (Amtrak station) (station code), in Michigan, US * Der (Sumer), an ancient city located in modern-day Iraq * d'Entrecasteaux Ridge, an oceanic ridge in the south-west Pacific Ocean ...

'' (1884), based on the famous poem by

Joseph Viktor von Scheffel Joseph Victor von Scheffel (16 February 1826 – 9 April 1886) was a German poet and novelist. His novel '' Ekkehard'' (1855) became one of the most popular German novels in the 19th century. Biography He was born at Karlsruhe. His father, a reti ...

, were very popular in the 19th century. The great conductor

Artur Nikisch Arthur Nikisch (12 October 185523 January 1922) was a Hungarian conductor who performed internationally, holding posts in Boston, London, Leipzig and—most importantly—Berlin. He was considered an outstanding interpreter of the music of Br ...

composed an orchestral arrangement of material from ''Der Trompeter von Säkkingen''. Besides a number of other operas, Nessler wrote many songs and choral works; but it is with the ''Trompeter von Säkkingen'' that his name is most closely associated. In 1895 a monument to him by the sculptor

Alfred Marzolff Frédéric Alfred Marzolff (1867-1936) was a French people, French sculptor and medallist, known especially for his monumental figures. Biography His father was a Cooper (profession), master cooper. He completed an apprenticeship with the sc ...

was erected in Strasbourg, the place of his death.

Works

* ''Fleurette'' (1864

) * ''Dornröschens Brautfahrt'' (1867

) * ''Die Hochzeitsreise'' (1867 Leipzig) * ''Am Alexandertag'' (1869 Leipzig) * ''Nachtwächter und Student'' (1871 Leipzig) * ''Irmingard'' (1876 Leipzig) * ''

'' (1879 Leipzig) * ''Der wilde Jäger'' (1881 Leipzig) * '' Der Trompeter von Säckingen'' (1884 Leipzig) * ''Otto der Schütz '' (1886 Leipzig) * ''Die Rose von Strassburg'' (1890

Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

)

References

External links

* * * Nessler, Victor Nessler, Victor German Romantic composers German opera composers French male opera composers Musicians from Bas-Rhin 19th-century French classical composers German male classical composers People from Alsace 19th-century German composers 19th-century German male musicians {{Germany-composer-stub