Bittner, Julius

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Bittner, Julius

Bittner, Julius, Austrian composer; b. Vienna, April 9, 1874; d. there, Jan. 9, 1939. He first studied law; then music with Bruno Walter and Josef Labor. He was a magistrate in Vienna until 1920 while at the same time composing industriously. He devoted most of his energy to opera and also wrote his own librettos. He also composed 2 syms., sacred choruses, and numerous songs for his wife, Emilie Bittner, a contralto. During his last years, he suffered from a crippling illness, necessitating the amputation of both legs.

Works

DRAMATIC: Opera Die rote Gret (Frankfurt am Main, Oct. 26, 1907); Der Musikant (Vienna, April 12, 1910); Der Bergsee (Vienna, Nov. 9, 1911; rev. 1938); Der Abenteurer (Cologne, Oct. 30, 1913); Das hôllisch Gold (Darmstadt, Oct. 15, 1916); Das Rosengartlein (Mannheim, March 18, 1923); Mondnacht (Berlin, Nov. 13, 1928); Das Veilchen (Vienna, Dec. 8, 1934). OTHER: Operettas, ballets, and mimodramas.

Bibliography

R. Specht, J.B. (Munich, 1921); U. Bittner, J.B. (Vienna, 1969).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire