report on the condition of music in those countries. On his return he was commissioned to draw up a scheme for a Prussian national Conservatoire, but at the same time was offered posts at the Hague and at Dresden. The latter he accepted, replacing Marschner at the opera, where he laboured hard, producing both German and Italian operas. In 1827 he succeeded C. M. von Weber as conductor of the German Opera at Dresden. Among his operas, 'Ahnenschatz,' 'Sibella,' 'Turandot,' 'Adele von Foix,' and 'Der Schiffbruch von Medusa,' had great success in their day, but the term 'Kapellmeistermusik ' eminently describes them, and they have almost entirely disappeared. The overture to the Felsenmühle, a spirited and not uninteresting piece, is occasionally met with in concert programmes. Masses and church music, a few Lieder, and particularly some graceful and easy trios for PF. violin and cello, made his name very popular for a period. He is generally supposed to have been the composer of the piece known as 'Weber's Last Waltz.' Reissiger died Nov. 7, 1859, and was succeeded at Dresden by Julius Rietz.
[ F. G. ]
REISSMANN, August, musician and writer on music, born Nov. 14, 1825, at Frankenstein, Silesia, was grounded in music by Jung, the Cantor of his native town. In 1843 he removed to Breslau, and there had instruction from Mosewius, Baumgart, Ernst Richter, Lüstner, and Kohl, in various branches, including pianoforte, organ, violin, and cello. He at first proposed to become a composer, but a residence in 1850–52 at Weimar, where he came in contact with the new school of music, changed his plans and drove him to literature. His first book was 'From Bach to Wagner' (Berlin, 1861); rapidly followed by a historical work on the German song, 'Das deutsche Lied,' etc. (1861), rewritten as 'Geschichte des Deutschen Liedes' (1874). This again was succeeded by his General History of Music—'Allg. Musikgeschichte' (3 vols. 1864, Leipzig), with a great number of interesting examples; and that by 'Compositionslehre' (3 vols. Berlin, 1866–70). His recent works have been of a biographical nature, attempts to show the gradual development of the life and genius of the chief musicians—Schumann (1865), Mendelssohn (1867), Schubert (1873), Haydn (1879). All books about these great men are interesting, especially when written by practical and intelligent musicians; and Dr. Reissmann's are illustrated by copious examples (in Schubert's case from MS. sources), which much increase their value. In 1877 he published a volume of lectures on the history of music, delivered in the Conservatorium of Berlin, where he has resided since 1863. His chief employment since 1871 has been the completion of the 'Musik Conversationslexikon,' in which he succeeded Mendel as editor, after the death of the latter. The 11th volume, completing the work, appeared in 1879, and it will long remain as the most comprehensive Lexicon of music. Dr. Reissmann unfortunately thought it necessary to oppose the establishment of the Royal High School for Music at Berlin in 1875, and to enforce his opposition by a bitter pamphlet, which however has long since been forgotten. [See Musik, Königliche Hochschule für, vol. ii. p. 437b.] As a practical musician Dr. Reissmann has been almost as industrious as he has been in literature. The list given in the Lexicon comprises 2 grand operas and one comic ditto; an oratorio; 2 dramatic scenes for solos, male chorus, and orchestra; a concerto and a suite for solo violin and orchestra; 2 sonatas for pianoforte and violin; and a great quantity of miscellaneous pieces for piano solo and for the voice—in all nearly 50 published works. He is now (1881) at Leipzig, editing an Illustrated History of German music.
[ G. ]
RELATION is a general term implying connection between two or more objects of consideration, through points of similarity and contrast. In other words, it is the position which such objects appear to occupy when considered with reference to one another. It is defined by its context.
The relations of individual notes to one another may be described in various ways. For instance, they may be connected by belonging to or being prominent members of the diatonic series of any one key, and contrasted in various degrees by the relative positions they occupy in that series. A further simple relation is established by mere proximity, such as may be observed in the relations of grace-notes, appoggiaturas, turns, and shakes to the essential notes which they adorn; and this is carried so far that notes alien to the harmony and even to the key are freely introduced, and are perfectly intelligible when in close connection with characteristic diatonic notes. The relations of disjunct notes may be found, among other ways, by their belonging to a chord which is easily called to mind; whence the successive sounding of the constituents of familiar combinations is easily realised as melody; while melody which is founded upon less obvious relations is not so readily appreciated.
The relations of chords may be either direct or indirect. Thus they may have several notes in common, as in Ex. 1, or only one, as in Ex. 2,
to make simple direct connection, while the diversity of their derivations, or their respective degrees of consonance and dissonance, afford an immediate sense of contrast. Or they may be indirectly connected through an implied chord or note upon which they might both converge; as the common chord of D to that of C through G, to which D is Dominant, while G in its turn is Dominant to C (Ex. 3). The relation thus established is sufficiently clear to allow the major chord of the supertonic and its minor seventh and major and minor ninth to be systematically affiliated in the key, though its third and minor ninth are not in the diatonic series.
