Richter, Franz Xaver

1709-1789

Composer; born at Holleschau, Moravia. Was for several years a Court musician at Mannheim, and in 1747 became chapelmaster of Strasburg Cathedral, a post he retained till his death, although Pleyel acted as his assistant from 1783. His church-music, on which his reputation rests, comprises seven masses, motets, hymns, and a Te Deum, which remain for the most part in manuscript at the Cathedral of St. Die, Vosges; six string quartets; three trios; twenty-six symphonies, of which six were published; and a piano concerto. He also wrote a treatise, Harmonische Belehrung oder gründliche Anweisung zu der musikalischen Tonkunst, never published in German; but Kalkbrenner s French translation, Traite d'harmonie et de Composition, was published in 1804.