A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Speyer, Wilhelm

by George Grove

SPEYER, or SPEIER, Wilhelm, composer, was born June 21, 1790, at Frankfort-on-the-Main, where he died April 5, 1878. He received his musical education at Offenbach under Thieriot (the friend of Weber) and André. He was already a prominent violinist when he went to Paris in 1812, to become a pupil of Baillot, from whose instruction and from the acquaintance of such men as Cherubini, Boieldieu, Méhul, etc., he derived much benefit. Returning to Germany afterwards, he settled down at Frankfort and exchanged the musical profession for that of a merchant, but continued to compose—at first chiefly chamber music. He published string quartets and quintets, and also violin duets, which are still looked upon as standard works in that class of composition. He afterwards devoted himself chiefly to vocal music, and it is as a writer of songs that his name is best and most widely known. Amongst his Lieder—of which he published several hundred—many, such as 'The Trumpeter,' 'Rheinsehnsucht' (My heart's on the Rhine), 'Die drei Liebchen,' etc., acquired an extraordinary popularity. He also wrote vocal quartets and some choral works.

With Mendelssohn and his family Speyer was on terms of affectionate intimacy, and to him the charming story given in vol. ii. p. 280b is due.

[ G. ]