A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Burgmüller, Norbert

BURGMÜLLER, Norbert, composer; born at Düsseldorf, Feb. 8, 1810; son of the then music-Director there, who died in 1824 well known and honoured as one of the founders and conductors of the Lower Rhine festivals. Norbert very early showed extraordinary musical talent. After leaving his father he studied at Cassel under Spohr and Hauptmann. But a sickly constitution prevented his full development, and he died at Aix-la-Chapelle in 1836. He left much music behind him, of which two symphonies, an overture, and some other pieces were published by Kistner, all, notwithstanding their natural immaturity, manifesting great ability, lively imagination full of ideas, freshness of invention, and a strong feeling for classical 'form.' There is every reason to believe that, if his life had been spared, concentration and strength would have come with years, and that Burgmüller would have reached a high place in his art. Schumann valued him greatly: he begins a memorial notice of him by saying that since the early death of Schubert nothing more deplorable had happened than that of Burgmüller (Ges. Schriften, iii. 145).

[ A. M. ]