Kirchner, Theodor (Fürchtegott)
Kirchner, Theodor (Fürchtegott)
Kirchner, Theodor (Fürchtegott), German organist and composer; b. Neukirchen, near Chemnitz, Dec. 10, 1823; d. Hamburg, Sept. 18, 1903. On Mendelssohn’s advice, he studied in Leipzig from 1838 to 1842 with CF. Becker (theory) and J. Knorr (piano), and, in 1842-43, with Johann Schneider in Dresden. He was engaged as organist at Winterthur (1843–62), then went to Zürich, where he became director of the subscription concerts, choir conductor, and teacher at the music school. He was director of the Würzburg Cons. (1873–75), taught in Leipzig (1875), and gave courses in chamber music at the Dresden Cons. (1883–90). As a youth he also enjoyed the friendship of Schumann, who encouraged and aided him with advice. He wrote chamber music, about 90 piano works, some miniatures of very high quality, and numerous transcriptions for piano solo and piano duet.
Bibliography
A. Niggli, T. K.(Leipzig, 1880); O. Klauwell, T.K (Langensalza, 1909); P. Schneider, ed., T. K.: Briefe aus den Jahren 1860-1868 (Zürich, 1949).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire