Kretschmer, Edmund

1830-

German organist and composer. Was born at Ostritz, Saxony, in 1830. He studied first with his father, then went to Dresden, where he was a pupil of Julius Otto and Jqhann Schneider. He was made organist of the Catholic Court Chapel of Dresden in 1854, and in 1863 he became Court organist, a position which he filled until his retirement in 1897. He founded and conducted the Cacilia Singing Society and between 1850 and 1870 conducted several other musical societies. He received a first prize for a mass at Brussels in 1868 and, in 1874, he won success with his first opera, which subsequently was performed in many cities in Germany. He wrote the libretto as well as the score of his operas, Die Volkungen, produced in Dresden in 1874, and Heinrich der Lowe, brought out at Leipsic. By some authorities, these operas are looked upon as among the most important works of the period which preceded Wagner. Among his other works are the operetta, Der Flüchtling; and the romantic opera, Schon Rotrant.