A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Müller, Wenzel

by J. A. Fuller-Maitland

MÜLLER, Wenzel, born Sept. 26, 1767, at Türnau in Moravia, was for some time a pupil of Dittersdorf, and became conductor in the Brünn Theatre in 1783, and three years afterwards, when only nineteen, obtained a similar post at Marinelli's theatre in Vienna. The rest of his life was spent in the capital, with the exception of the years 1808–13, during which he was director of the opera at Prague, where his daughter Therese, afterwards known as Madame Grünbaum, was engaged as a singer. On his return to Vienna, he become conducter at the Leopoldstadt Theatre, and retained the post until within a short time of his death, which took place at Baden near Vienna, on Aug. 3, 1835. As a composer of light operas, he enjoyed enormous popularity for many years, and his productions in this kind are said to number over 200. His more ambitious works, as symphonies, masses, etc., were less successful. Among his dramatic works may be mentioned:—'Das Sonnenfest der Braminen' (1790); 'Das neue Sontagskind' (1793); 'Die Schwestern von Prag' (1794); 'Die Teufelsmühle auf dem Wienerberge' (1799). A peculiar interest attaches to his 'Zauberzither' or 'Kasper der Fagottist,' produced June 8, 1791, since Schikaneder took several suggestions from it for the plot of 'Die Zauberflöte.' In 1818 Müller produced his 'travestierte Zauberflöte.' (Mendel's Lexicon; Riemann's Opernhandbuch.)

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