Riccius, August Ferdinand

1819-1886

 

German conductor and composer; born at Bernstadt, Saxony. Studied 1 music under Zimmermann at Zittau, and began to study theology at Leipsic, but he gave it up for music, becoming in 1849 director of the Euterpe concerts in that city. In 1854 he succeeded Rietz as conductor of the orchestra at the City Theatre, and in 1864 accepted a similar post at Hamburg, where he also became prominent as a teacher of singing, and as musical critic of the Nachrichten. He died at Carlsbad. He composed an overture to Schiller's Braut von Messina; incidental music to plays; a cantata, Die Weihe der Kraft; pieces for piano; songs; part-songs; and choruses.