Rauchenecker, Georg Wilhelm

1844-

German composer; born at Munich; was a pupil in piano and in violin of Theodor Lachner, in counterpoint of Baumgartner, and in violin of Joseph Walter. From 1860 to 1862 he was violinist at the Grand Theatre, Lyons, then became chapelmaster at Aix and Charpentras, and in 1868 became director of the Avignon Conservatory; in 1873 he became musical director at Winterthur, and the next year his cantata, Niklaus von der Flue, was produced at the Zurich Musical Festival, and won a prize. For one season he conducted the Philharmonic concerts at Berlin. In 1889 he became musical director at Elberfeld, where three operas of his composition were produced with success, Die Letzen, Tage von Thule, Ingo, and Sanna. Another opera, Le Florentin, and a symphony remain in manuscript. Two of his string quartets have often been played by the Florentine Quartet.