A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Mosel, Ignaz
MOSEL, Ignaz Franz, Edler von, composer and writer on musical subjects, born at Vienna, April 1, 1772, conducted the first musical festivals of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in the Imperial Riding-school (1812 to 1816). He was ennobled, and made a Hofrath. From 1820 to 29 he was vice-director of the two Court theatres, and from 1829 till his death principal custos of the Imperial library. [App. p.720 "he was one of the three chief mourners at Beethoven's funeral."] In his earlier years he arranged Haydn's 'Creation' (Mollo), Cherubiní's 'Médée,' and 'Deux journées' (Cappi), and 'Così fan tutte' (Steiner), for string-quartet; and the 'Creation' and 'Così fan tutte' for two pianofortes, for the blind pianist Paradies. For the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde he put additional instruments to several of Handel's [1]oratorios, and translated the text. He also composed three operas (court-theatre), one Singspiel, several overtures and entr'actes for plays, a Missa solennis, etc. He published three collections of songs, dedicating one to Vogl, the celebrated singer of Schubert's songs, and another to Rochlitz (Steiner). Among his writings the following are of value:—'Versuch einer Aesthetik des dramatischen Tonsatzes' (Vienna, Strauss, 1813); 'Ueber das Leben und die Werke des Antonio Salieri' (ibid., Wallishauser, 1827); 'Geschichte der Hofbibliothek' (ibid., Beck, 1835); and articles in various periodicals on the history of music, including ' Die Tonkunst in Wien während der letzten 5 Dezennien' (1808, revised and republished 1840). Von Mosel died in Vienna, April 8, 1844.
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- ↑ Haslinger published the scores of 'Belshazzar' and 'Jephtha.'