Sussmayer, Franz Xaver

In his youth he was the main singer in the provincial Austrian church. In 1787 he moved to Vienna, where at first he became a student of Antonio Salieri , and then began to study with Mozart.

Having approached the composer, Süssmeier lived for a year in the house of Mozart and his wife Constance as a full member of the family. In 1791, he assisted Mozart as a copyist during the composer's work on the operas Charity of Titus and The Magic Flute . In addition, he is the author of the second part of the concert for Mozart's French Horn and Orchestra (Horn Concerto N ° 1 II. Rondo. Allegro, FX Süssmayr SWV 502) and recitations for his opera Charity of the Titus (which premiered on September 6, 1791 in the Prague Estates Theater shortly before the death of Mozart). With him, Mozart discussed the progress of work on his Requiem , and after the sudden death of the composer Süzmeier, at the dying request of Mozart and his widow, he completed his Requiem. This work of Zyusmeyer caused further fierce controversy, especially in the 1820s: the scale of his contribution was also discussed (moreover, there were experts who claimed that Requiem, in essence, was written by Zyusmeyer, and those who insisted on the insignificance of his contribution ), and the comparability of the talents of the two composers - in particular, G.L. P. Sievers put Süzmeier almost on a par with Mozart, while Otto Jan emphasized the imitative and lightweight nature of his music. One way or another, Mozart’s “Requiem” is still traditionally performed by the editors and with the Süzmeier orchestra, although editions of other composers were later proposed.

From 1792 to 1794, the composer was the bandmaster of the Vienna Burgtheater , and in 1794-1801, the bandmaster of the Kernntner Theater . Süssmeier wrote about 25 operas, comic ones were particularly successful: among them compositions on popular oriental themes “ Turk in Italy ” (the second title “The Muslim in Naples”, the libretto by Caterino Mazzola, 1794 , Prague ) ^[1] and “ Suleiman II or Three Sultans ”(Soliman der Zweyte; oder Die drey Sultanninen, libretto by Franz Xavier Huber, Vienna , 1799 ). Based on the motif from Suleiman II (the trio Tändeln und scherzen), Beethoven created Eight Variations for Piano (WoO 76). Süssmeier also composed ballets, church, symphonic, chamber and vocal music. Sometimes his German Requiem and Turkish Symphony (Sinfonia Turchesca in Do, SmWv 403) are performed.

On April 25, 1812 , already after the death of the composer, the premiere of his ballet Walnut Benevento directed by choreographer Salvatore Vigano took place in the La Scala theater in Milan. Niccolo Paganini , who was present at one of the performances, was so amazed at the scene of the unbridled dance of the sorceresses that he wrote one of his most famous works - “Witches”, a variation on the ballet “Walnut Benevento” for violin and orchestra (Variations on the fourth string). The premiere of the composition took place in La Scala on October 29, 1813 and hit the public ^[2] .

Operas

• 1785 - “Love for the King” (Kremsmunster)
• 1792 - “Moses, or Exodus from Egypt” ( German: Moses oder Der Auszug aus Aegypten )
• 1794 - Mirror of Arcadia ( German: Der Spiegel von Arkadien )
• 1794 - "The Turk in Italy" ("Muslim in Naples").
• 1796 - Double Appreciation, edited by Andre Gretry 's opera The Double Challenge, Volunteers
• 1799 - “Suleiman II, or Three Sultans” ( German: Soliman der Zweyte; oder Die drey Sultanninen )
• 1800 - Gulnara

Ballets

• ? - “ Benevento Walnut ”

Cantatas

• 1796 - “The Savior is in danger”

Sources

Comments

• Zyusmayr F.K. / S.M. Grishchenko. // Gondolier - Corsov. - M .: Soviet Encyclopedia: Soviet Composer, 1974. - (Encyclopedias. Dictionaries. Directories: Musical Encyclopedia : [in 6 vols.] / Ch. Ed. Yu. V. Keldysh ; 1973-1982, vol. 2).
• Solovyov N.F. Zusmeyer, Franz-Xavier // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron : 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - SPb. , 1890-1907.
• Site dedicated to the composer (German)