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songs and instrumental pieces; and Anton Schweitzer (d. 1787), Benda's successor at Gotha in 1780, with about a score of singspiele (from 1773). Here may be added Johann Franz Xaver Sterkel (d. 1817), from 1778 electoral chaplain and from 1793 choirmaster at Mayence, the composer of a great number of songs and piano-works, besides 10 symphonies, etc. As a pianist he was admired by Beethoven in 1791.

The Vienna group of singspiel-writers was at first more limited in influence, contributing less to the development of the song as such; but, on the other hand, their efforts were ultimately valuable in helping forward the advent of true German opera.

Joseph Haydn (d. 1809) was a pioneer, though not an important one. His Der neue krumme Teufel (1751?) and the marionette-plays at Esterház (1762) belonged to the singspiel class (see sec. 145). The relation of the operas of Mozart (d. 1791) is elsewhere stated (see sec. 155), especially as regards his Bastien und Bastienne (1768) and Die Entführung (1782). Similarly, the works of their contemporary Ditters (d. 1799) are certainly important in this connection (see sec. 153).

Ignaz Umlauf (d. 1796), at first a viola-player, was from 1778 leader at the National Theatre at Vienna, and from 1789 Salieri's assistant at the Imperial Chapel, besides composing for the German Theatre. His Die Bergknappen (1778) opened a popular series of which Die Apotheke (1778), Die schöne Schusterin (1780), Das Irrlicht and others were examples.

Johann Schenk (d. 1836) secured notice by his boy-voice and became a pupil of Wagenseil, who sought to form him as a sacred composer in the strict contrapuntal style. A fine mass (1778) was specially admired and for a time he pressed on in church music. But from 1785, at first anonymously, he took up dramatic writing in folk-style, achieving such success that he forsook his earlier ambition. Several of his dozen singspiele long held the stage, such as Die Weinlese (1785), Die Weihnacht auf dem Lande (1786), and especially Der Dorfbarbier (1796). His later years were embittered by the lack of continued success. In 1793 he acted as Beethoven's secret helper with the latter's exercises in counterpoint for Haydn.

Ferdinand Kauer (d. 1831), born in Moravia, from 1795 was employed in Vienna theatres as leader or 'cellist, always poorly paid, even when his works were drawing large audiences. He was extremely prolific in composition—about 200 singspiele and operas, of which Das Donauweibchen was the best, many masses and other church music, and an indefinite number of instrumental works. In 1830 most of his MSS. were lost in an inundation. Wenzel Müller (d. 1835), also a Moravian, a pupil of Ditters, had a similar career, and is also said to have written over 200 singspiele and similar works (from 1783), such as Der Fagottist (1792), Das Neusonntagskind (1793), etc. Franz Xaver Süssmayr (d. 1803), came to Vienna about 1790 and studied with Mozart, assisting him on Titus and completing the score of the Requiem. From 1792 he was leader at different theatres and produced singspiele, like Der Spiegel von Arkadien (1794) and Soliman II. (1799), besides other works. Ignaz Walter (d. 1822), a Bohemian, trained at Vienna, worked as singer and leader there and at Prague till about 1790, when he went to Ger