Kitzler, Otto

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Kitzler, Otto

Kitzler, Otto, German conductor, teacher, and composer; b. Dresden, March 16, 1834; d. Graz, Sept. 6, 1915. He studied with Johann Schneider, J. Otto, and Kummer (cello), then at the Brussels Cons, with Servais and Fetis. He was cellist in the opera orchs. at Strasbourg and Lyons, and chorus master at theaters in Troyes, Linz, Königsberg, Temesvar, Hermannstadt, and Brünn. In 1868 he became director of the Brunn Music Soc. and Music School, and also conductor of the Männergesangverein, retiring in 1898. His reputation was very high; Bruckner, 10 years his senior, took orchestration lessons from him (1861–63). Kitzler wrote orch. music, pianopieces, songs, etc. He also publ. Musikalische Erinnerungen (1904; containing letters from Wagner, Brahms, and Bruckner).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire