Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 April 1885 — Death of a Great Composer. [ARTICLE]

Death of a Great Composer.

A cable dispatch anuounoes the death of Franz Abt, the well-known musical composer. Deceased was born Saxony, Dec. 22, 1819. The son of aVlergyman, he entered the University of Leipsic us a theological student, but he soon abandoned theology for music. In 1841 he became musical director of the theater at Berne, which position he resigned to accept a similar one at Zurich. In 1852 fle became kappelmeister at the Brunswick court. In the death of Franz Abt music loses one of her most appreciated representatives. Twenty years ago his “When the Swailows Homeward Fly” was sung everywhere. That charming inspiration was little if any more fortunate than scores qf other songs that flowed from his facile |>qn. He was the author of a vast number of duets, trios, ana especially of part-songs for male voices, in which line he was one of the greatest of living composers. The great merit of his music is its sweetness, its melody, its expressiveness.