Franz Lachner

Religious music

Secular choruses

Serenade for 4 Cellos, Op.29 Octet 6 Duets, Op.106 5 Lieder for Voice, Cello and Piano Ave Maria, Op.162 Psalm 26, Op.163 Geistliches Lied, Op.137 String Quintet, Op.121 Organ Sonatas Nos.1-3, Opp.175-177 Suite for Piano and Violin, Op.140 Piano Quintet, Op.139 Piano Quintet No.2, Op.145 Hornesklänge, Op.179 Symphony No.8, Op.100 Psalm 150, Op.117 Suite No.4, Op.129 Introduction und Fuge, Op.62 Psalm 133, Op.91 Nocturne No.2 sur de themes favoris de Oberon, Op.22 6 Klavierstücke, Op.109 Suite No.6, Op.150 6 Klavierstücke, Op.172 Andante in D major Piano Sonata, Op.25 Piano Suite, Op.142 Sonata for Piano Four-Hands, Op.20 Piano Sonata, Op.2 String Quartet No.2, Op.76 Sonata for Piano Four-Hands, Op.39 Der Sänger am Rhein, Op.59 Rondeau brillant, Op.1 Introduction et variations brillantes sur un theme original, Op.15 3 Scherzos, Op.26 Catharina Cornaro, Op.71 Momento capriccioso, Op.3 Nocturne No.1 sur un thême français, Op.21 Rondeau brillant, Op.8 String Quartet No.6, Op.173 Die stille Nacht Rondeau brillant, Op.17 Mass, Op.92 Requiem, Op.146 Symphony No.3, Op.41 Suite No.1, Op.113 Elegy, Op.160 Symphony No.4 3 Gedichte, Op.34 Waldklänge, Op.28 Variations, Op.138 4 Lieder, Op.27 Die vier Menschenalter, Op.31 Symphony No.2, Op.44 Ave Maria, Op.133 3 Lieder, Op.30 Sängerfahrt, Op.96 3 Deutsche Gesänge, Op.36 Flute Concerto in D minor 12 Gesänge, Op.110 String Quartet No.4, Op.120 Andante for Brass Instruments Suite No.3, Op.122 Suite No.2, Op.115 3 Gesänge, Op.105 Praeludium in A minor Fest-Marsch für Blechinstrumente, Op.143 Psalm 63, Op.85 4 Gesänge, Op.79 3 Lieder, Op.128 9 Entreactes Bundeslied, Op.118 Stabat Mater, Op.168 Piano Trio in C minor Symphony No.5, Op.52 Ave Maria in B-flat major Fantasie in F-sharp minor 3 Chöre, Op.114 6 Gesänge, Op.187 2 Motetten, Op.131 Festchor zu Mozart's Säcularfeier, Op.103 Frauen-Liebe und Leben, Op.59 3 Gedichte, Op.93 Abendfriede, Op.140 Kriegers Gebet, Op.89 An die Nacht, Op.136 No.2 6 Lieder, Op.152 4 Gesänge, Op.141 6 Lieder, Op.134 Psalm 42 3 Psalmen, Op.102 3 Gesänge, Op.77 Der Sturm, Op.60 Sturmesmythe, Op.112 4 Lieder, Op.81 Piano Trio in E major 3 Lieder, Op.71 4 Gedichte, Op.88 4 Lieder Horch! Die Vesper-Hymne Klingt, Op.153 March in E-flat major 3 Gedichte, Op.94 4 Gedichte, Op.107 7 Lieder, Op.84 3 Leichte Terzetten, Op.145 6 Deutsche Gesänge, Op.54 Zur Grundsteinlegung des K. Maximilaneums 3 Gesänge, Op.78 3 Lieder, Op.101 3 Gedichte, Op.86 9 Gesänge, Op.169 Seebild Siegesgesang aus 'Hermannsschlacht', Op.104 Zigeunerlied, Op.136 No.1 Festlied, Op.123 Sängerfahrt, Op.33 4 Lieder, Op.116 Martini Kirchweihe, Op.180 Vorüber, Op.62 Deutsche Gesänge, Op.49 Schneeglöckchens Trauergeläute Frühlingsnähe Festhymne zur Enthüllung des König Ludwigs Denkmal Fantasie in F minor, Op.11 3 Gesänge, Op.66 9 Gesänge, Op.80 Cello Sonata, Op.14 Der Sternenkranz, Op.40 Introduction et variations sur un thême favori Suisse, Op.12 Nonet Rêverie String Quartet No.1, Op.75 String Quartet No.3, Op.77 Suite No.5, Op.135 Suite No.7, Op.190 Symphony No.1, Op.32 Symphony No.6, Op.56

Franz Paul Lachner (2 April 1803 – 20 January 1890) was a German composer and conductor.

Lachner was born in Rain am Lech to a musical family (his brothers Ignaz, Theodor and Vinzenz also became musicians). He studied music with Simon Sechter and Maximilian, the Abbé Stadler. He conducted at the Theater am Kärntnertor in Vienna. In 1834, he became Kapellmeister at Mannheim. As a result of composers' aesthetic comparisons of Beethoven's symphonic output with efforts afterwards, in 1835, there was a competition in Vienna for the best new symphony sponsored by Tobias Haslinger of the music publishing firm with no fewer than 57 entries. Lachner received first prize with his 5th Symphony Sinfonia passionata, or Preis-Symphonie and became royal Kapellmeister at Munich, becoming a major figure in its musical life, conducting at the opera and various concerts and festivals. His career there came to a sudden end in 1864 after Richard Wagner's disciple Hans von Bülow took over Lachner's duties. Lachner remained officially in his post on extended leave for a few years until his contract expired.

Lachner was a well-known and prolific composer in his day, though he is not now considered a major composer. His work, influenced by Ludwig van Beethoven and his friend Franz Schubert, is regarded as competent and craftsman-like, but is now generally little known. Among his greatest successes were his opera Catharina Cornaro (1841, preceding Donizetti's opera by three years), his Requiem, and his seventh orchestral suite (1881).

In the present day it may be his organ sonatas (Opp. 175, 176, 177) and chamber music, in particular his music for wind instruments, that receive the most attention, though his string quartets and some of his eight symphonies have been performed and recorded. His songs, some of which are set to the same texts that Schubert used, contributed to the development of the German Lied.

For performances of Cherubini's Médée in Frankfurt in 1855, Lachner composed recitatives to replace the original spoken dialogue, and it was this version, translated into Italian, which was used in many twentieth-century revivals and recordings of that opera.