Josef Rheinberger Stamp

This article features a Joseph Rheinberger stamp from the country of Liechtenstein. Composer stamps date back a century to a first set made in Austria in 1922. You can find several articles on this sight featuring composer stamps from France, Germany, Great Britain, and the United States. There are many more composer stamps from across the globe. Most of these stamps (though certainly not all) feature composers that are native to the country issuing the stamp. The composers become symbols of pride for the population and these individuals become useful unifying figures for the country. The Josef Rheinberger stamp from Liechtenstein is another example of a country paying tribute to one of its favorite sons.

Josef Rheinberger

Josef Rheinberger was born on March 17, 1839. He was the son of the treasurer for the Prince of Liechtenstein. At an early age, Rheinberger was musically talented. By the age of seven, he was already the organist for the Vaduz parish church. Furthermore, the premiere of his first composition took place the next year. Although his political father originally opposed his musical interests, he came around to support the young musician, allowing him to enter the Munich Conservatory in 1851.

After graduation, Rheinberger became the professor of piano and composition at the Munich Conservatory. In 1867, he married a former student, Franziska “Fanny” von Hoffnaass, who was eight years older than him. The conservatory closed in 1867, and Rheinberger began working at the Court Theater. He became the court conductor in 1877. Then, with the founding of a second Munich Conservatory, Rheinberger became the Royal Professor of organ and composition. He held this post for the rest of his life. Rheinberger died in Munich in 1901.

Composer and Teacher

Rheinberger is a somewhat old-fashioned composer for his era. Much of his music is comparable to much earlier composers including Mendelssohn, Schumann, and Schubert. Still, other influences can be found from later composers such as Brahms. Above all, Rheinberger, as an organist, drew inspiration from Bach.

His compositions include two full scale operas, twelve masses, a Requiem, a Stabat Mater, several symphonies, and chamber and choral music. However, Rheinberger’s organ compositions are what he is best known for today. Importantly, these include two organ concertos, as well as twenty sonatas, chamber pieces, and thirty-six solo pieces.

He was one of the most famous music teachers in Europe and a number of Americans came to Munich to study with him. He was a teacher for Horatio Parker, George Whitefield Chadwick, and Bruno Klein. In addition, among Europeans, Engelbert Humperdinck, Richard Strauss, and Wilhelm Furtwangler were all his students. A fuller list of his students is here.

The Stamp

The Joseph Rheinberger stamp dates from 1939. It is a monochromatic green slate stamp featuring a three-quarter portrait of the composer facing off into space – intently. Behind him are a rank of organ pipes, with the short pipes to his left rising to the longer pipes on the right. The engraver of the stamp was Ferdinand Lorber.

It is unusual for the organ to be a part of orchestral music. So here is a performance of Rheinberger’s Organ Concerto in g minor by the fabulous Diane Bish.