A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Reutter, Georg

REUTTER, Georg, born 1656 at Vienna, became in 1686 organist of St. Stephen's, and in 1700 Hof- and Kammer-organist. He also played the theorbo in the Hof-Kapelle from 1697 to 1703. In 1712 he succeeded Fux as Capellmeister to the Gnadenbild in St. Stephen's, and in 1715 became Capellmeister of the cathedral itself. He died Aug. 29, 1738. His church music was sound, without being remarkable. In Jan. 1695 he was knighted in Rome by Count Francesco Sforza, on whose family Pope Paul III. bestowed the privilege of conferring that honour in 1539. The name of Reutter is closely connected with that of Haydn, through his son,

Georg Karl (generally known by his first name only), who, according to the cathedral register, was born in Vienna April 6, 1708, became Court-composer in 1731, and succeeded his father in 1738 as Capellmeister of the cathedral. In 1746 he was appointed second Court-capellmeister, his duty being to conduct the music of the Emperor's church, chamber, and dinner-table. On Predieri's retirement in 1751 Reutter exercised the functions of chief Court-capellmeister, but did not receive the title till the death of the former in 1769. As an economical measure he was allowed the sum of 20,000 gulden (£2,000) to maintain the court-capelle (the whole body of musicians, vocal and instrumental), and he enjoys the melancholy distinction of having reduced the establishment to the lowest possible ebb. Reutter composed for the court numerous operas, cantatas d'occasion, and Italian oratorios for Lent; also a requiem, and smaller dramatic and sacred works. His grand masses are showy, with rapid and noisy instrumentation, so much so that 'rushing (rauschende) violins à la Reutter' became a proverb. Burney heard one of them during his visit to Vienna in 1772, and says 'it was dull, dry, stuff; great noise and little meaning characterised the whole performance.' (Present State of Music in Germany, i. 361.)^[1] In 1731 Reutter married Theresia Holzhauser, a court singer of merit, who died in 1782. His own death took place March 12, 1772. He was much favoured at court owing to his great tact; and Maria Theresa ennobled him in 1740 as 'Edler von Reutter.' As stated above, his name is inseparably associated with that of Haydn, whom he heard sing as a boy in the little town of Hamburg, and engaged for the choir of St. Stephen's, where he sang from 1740 to 1748. His treatment of the poor chorister, and his heartless behaviour when the boy's fine voice had broken, are mentioned under Haydn, vol. i. 703.

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1. It is Burney who is responsible for the absurd diaeresis with which his name is usually spelt in England—Reütter.