Biography
A pupil of Abela and Schneider, Franz pursued an independent course of musical study by fashioning arrangements drawn from the works of Bach, Handel, Schubert, Schumann, and Mendelssohn. He later assumed the post of organist at Ulrichskirche. While serving as director of Halle’s Singing Academy he produced a large body of lieder; the initial collection was forwarded to Schumann, who arranged for its publication without obtaining Franz’s consent. In due course the University offered him a teaching position and conferred an honorary doctorate. The Singing Academy in Halle further recognized him by adopting his name for the institution. Throughout Germany and Austria his compositions enjoyed wide esteem. Traces of several earlier masters appeared in his writing, yet he succeeded in absorbing each influence completely: balance and formal design from Bach and Handel, expressive character and harmonic groupings from Schumann, and the contour, atmosphere, and poignant feeling of German folk song. Bavaria named him a Knight of the Order of Maximilian, and the Kaiser awarded him the Order of the Crown.