A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Lindpaintner, Peter
LINDPAINTNER, Peter Joseph von, born at Coblenz Dec. 8, 1791, studied the violin, piano, and counterpoint at Augsburg, and subsequently appears to have received some instruction at Munich from Winter. In 1812 he accepted the post of Musik-director at the Isarthor theatre in Munich, and whilst so engaged completed his musical studies under Jos. Grätz, an excellent contrapuntist. In 1819 he was appointed Kapellmeister to the Royal Band at Stuttgart, and held that post until his death, which took place Aug. 21, 1856, during a summer holiday at Nonnenhorn, on the Lake of Constance. He was buried at Wasserburg. He died full of honours, a member of almost every musical institution of the Continent, and the recipient of gifts from many crowned heads—amongst others a medal from Queen Victoria, in 1848, for the dedication of his oratorio of Abraham.
By quiet and persistent labour he raised his band to the level of the best in Germany, and acquired a very high reputation. 'Lindpaintner,' says Mendelssohn, describing a visit to Stuttgart in 1831, 'is in my belief the best conductor in Germany; it is as if he played the whole orchestra with his baton alone; and he ia very industrious.' Of the many professional engagements offered him in other towns and foreign countries, he accepted but one, and that, in 1853, three years before his death, was to conduct the New Philharmonic Concerts in London, at which his cantata The Widow of Nain, his overtures to Faust and the Vampyre, and others of his compositions were given with success, including the song of The Standard-bearer, at that time so popular, sung by Pischek. [App. p.701 "Add that in 1854 he conducted several of the New Philharmonic Concerts."] He wrote 28 operas, 3 ballets, 5 melodramas and oratorios, several cantatas, 6 masses, a Stabat Mater, and above 50 songs with pianoforte accompaniment. To these were added symphonies, overtures, concertos, fantasias, trios and quartets for different instruments. He rescored Judas Maccabæus, no doubt cleverly, and at the time it was said, well. Some of his symphonies, his operas 'Der Vampyr' and 'Lichtenstein,' his ballet 'Joko,' the overture to which is still heard at concerts, his music to Goethe's 'Faust' and Schiller's 'Song of the Bell,' have been pronounced to be among the best of his works. And two of his songs, 'The Standard-bearer' and 'Roland,' created at the time a veritable furore.
Though wanting in depth and originality Lindpaintner's compositions please by their clearness and brilliancy, melody and well-developed form; and the hand of a clever and practised musician is everywhere visible in them.[ A. H. W. ]