Biography
An operatic composer, Kreutzer revealed his principal gift through instrumental writing. He trained first under the Swabian burgher musician Rieger, continued with organ and theory lessons from Weinrauch, and completed his studies with Albrechtsberger in Vienna. Although his career remained unsettled, he lived primarily in Vienna and various German centers. His initial marriage produced two daughters who became singers; on at least two journeys he served as their touring accompanist. Among the posts he held were Hofkapellmeister in Stuttgart, an interval in Schaffhausen, Kapellmeister in Donaueschingen, Kapellmeister at Vienna’s Karntnertor-Theater, director of the Theater in der Josefstadt, and municipal music director in Cologne. The operas Das Nachtlager in Granada and Der Verschwender brought him his greatest acclaim, while other stage works he composed or arranged enjoyed only modest favor. Excerpts from both successes remain in the repertory, especially within Austria, yet the bulk of his output stayed stylistically conservative. Working at the close of an epoch whose audiences were already turning toward Wagner’s dramatic innovations, Kreutzer infused his scores with rhythmic vitality and regional color that lent them immediate appeal. His most characteristic achievement, however, lies in the unaffected eloquence of his songs.