Tschirch, Friedrich Wilhelm

1818-1892

The third of a family of six brothers, all more or less musical. He was a composer of vocal compositions and was a very successful choral conductor. Born at Lichtenau, Prussia, and educated at the Royal Institute for Church Music by Alfred B. Marx, and at the Academy in Berlin. He went to Liegnitz as music-director in 1843 and remained there until 1852, when he became Hof-kapellmeister at Gera. In 1869 he was invited by the German-American Choral Societies to come to America to the Sangerfest at Baltimore, and his compositions were well received there, in Washington, Philadelphia, New York and Chicago. He died at Gera. Under the nom de plume of Alexander Czersky he has written many chamber-pieces for piano and has also composed operas and dramatic pieces. Among his compositions are Die Zeit; Leben, Liebe, Lust und Lied; Eine Nacht auf dem Meere; Eine Sangerfahrt auf dem Rhein; Abschied's gruss ans Vaterland; Deutscher Manner-Festgesang; Deutsches Singeslied; Deutschlands Hochzeitstag; Hymnus zum Friedenfest. He also wrote the opera, Meister Martin und seine Gesellen, a mass for wind-instruments or organ, many songs and part-songs for solos and male choruses.