A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Riedel, Carl

RIEDEL, Carl, born Oct. 6, 1827, at Kronenberg in the Rhine provinces. Though always musically inclined he was educated for trade, and up to 1848 pursued the business of a silk dyer. Being in Lyons during the Revolution of that year the disturbance to his business and the excitement of the moment drove him to the resolution of forsaking trade and devoting himself to music as a profession. He returned home and at once began serious study under the direction of Carl Wilhelm, then an obscure musician at Crefeld, but destined to be widely known as the author of the 'Wacht am Rhein.' Late in 1849 Riedel entered the Leipzig Conservatorium, where he made great progress under Moscheles, Hauptmann, Becker, and Plaidy. After leaving the Conservatorium the direction of his talent was for some time uncertain. He had however for long had a strong predilection for the vocal works of the older masters of Germany and Italy. Early in 1854 he practised and performed in a private society at Leipzig Astorga's 'Stabat,' Palestrina's 'Improperia,' and Leo's 'Miserere,' and this led him to found a singing society of his own, which began on May 17, 1854, with a simple quartet of male voices, and was the foundation of the famous Association which, under the name of the 'Riedelsche Verein,' was so celebrated in Leipzig. Their first public concert was held in November, 1855. The reality of the attempt was soon recognised; members flocked to the society; and its first great achievement was a performance of Bach's B minor Mass, April 10, 1859. At that time Riedel appears to have practised only ancient music, but this rule was by no means maintained; and in the list of the works performed by the Verein we find Beethoven's Mass in D, Kiel's 'Christus,' Berlioz's Requiem, and Liszt's 'Graner Mass' and 'St. Elizabeth.' Riedel's devotion to his choir was extraordinary: he was not only its Conductor, but Librarian, Secretary, Treasurer, all in one. His interest in societies outside his own, and in the welfare of music, was always ready and always effective, and many of the best Vocal Associations of North Germany owe their success to his advice and help. The programmes of the public performances of his society show the names of many composers who were indebted to him for their first chance of being heard, and of much music which but for him would probably have slumbered on the shelf till now. He was one of the founders of the 'Beethovenstiftung,' and an earnest supporter of the Wagner performances at Bayreuth in 1876. His own compositions are chiefly part-songs for men's voices, but he has edited several important ancient works by Prætorius, Franck, Eccard, and other old German writers, especially a 'Passion' by Heinrich Schütz, for which he selected the best portions of 4 Passions by that master—a proceeding certainly deserving all that can be said against it. [App. p. 772 "date of death, June 4, 1888."]

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