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The Neue Akademie der Tonkunst was established in 1855 by ''Theodor Kullak (d. 1882), followed in 1882 by his son Franz Kullak'', who disbanded it in 1890. Both institutions attracted hundreds of pupils.

In the list of royal choirmasters during the period were in 1830-42 Franz Gläser (d. 1861), in 1842-69 Wilhelm Taubert (d. 1891), and in 1849-69 Heinrich Dorn (d. 1892). In 1842-51 Meyerbeer was the dominant operatic power.

Those who gave character to the circle included various kinds of workers—choral composers or conductors, organists, theorists and literary students. Almost all of them were strong teachers.

Eduard August Grell (d. 1886), born in 1800, came to be the chief representative of the Berlin ideas. Beginning in 1817 as an organist, in 1839 he followed Hellwig at the cathedral. From 1832 he assisted Rungenhagen in leading the Singakademie and in 1851 succeeded him both there and as teacher of composition in the Akademie. He held tenaciously to the superiority of choral music over instrumental, and his contrapuntal genius was exemplified in a series of fine sacred works, including a mass for 16 voices, an oratorio, a Te Deum, many psalms, motets and songs. His official positions and his undoubted learning gave him great influence.

Neither Karl Friedrich Rungenhagen (d. 1851) nor August Wilhelm Bach (d. 1869), though prominent officially and as teachers, attained high rank as composers, though the former was an industrious producer.

Siegfried Dehn (d. 1858) was at first a law-student at Leipsic, but from 1829 developed rapidly at Berlin as a musical theorist. From 1842 he was musical librarian at the Royal Library and also for some years editor of the Cäcilia. His teaching and his books (from 1837) made him influential.

Adolf Bernhard Marx (d. 1866), born at Halle in 1795, was one of Zelter's pupils. From 1824 for several years he edited the ''Berliner allgemeine musikalische Zeitung'', contending manfully for German composers, including Beethoven. From 1830 he was professor at the university, becoming distinguished as a theorist, historian and pedagogical reformer (works from 1828). He was intimate with the young Mendelssohn. As a composer he was not significant, though he essayed many forms.

Karl August Haupt (d. 1891), born in Silesia in 1810 and trained at Berlin, from about 1830 held various positions there as organist, becoming a virtuoso, and teacher of international reputation. He was prominent in the Institut and the Akademie. His published works include an Orgelschule, a Choralbuch (1869) and some songs.

Friedrich Kiel (d. 1885), born in Rhenish Prussia in 1821, was trained as a violinist at Berleburg and Coburg, and from 1842 in composition by Dehn at Berlin, where he settled. From 1866 he was teacher of composition at the conservatory and from 1870 at the Hochschule. His works include 2 noble Requiems, the first of which (1859-60) established his reputation, a Missa solemnis (1865), a Te Deum (1866), a Stabat Mater (1869), the oratorio Christus (1871-2), much other church music, many chamber works, piano-pieces and songs. In style he illustrated the pursuit of classical ideals under modern conditions, somewhat after the fashion of Mendelssohn.