Friedrich Heinrich Himmel (Nov 20, 1765 - June 8, 1814), German composer and conductor, was born at Treuenbrietzen in Brandenburg, Prussia, and originally studied theology at Halle.
During a temporary stay at Potsdam, he had an opportunity of showing his self-acquired skill as a pianist before King Frederick William II, who made him a yearly allowance to enable him to complete his musical studies. He did this under Johann Gottlieb Naumann, a German composer of the Italian school, the style of that school Himmel himself adopted in his serious operas. The first of these, a pastoral opera, Il Primo Navigatore, was produced at Venice in 1794 with great success.
His Italian operas were all received with great favor in their day. Of much greater importance than these is an operetta to German words by Kotzebue, called Fanchon, an admirable specimen of the primitive form of the musical drama known in Germany as the Singspiel. Himmel's gift of writing genuine simple melody is also observable in his songs. He died in Berlin.
During a temporary stay at Potsdam, he had an opportunity of showing his self-acquired skill as a pianist before King Frederick William II, who made him a yearly allowance to enable him to complete his musical studies. He did this under Johann Gottlieb Naumann, a German composer of the Italian school, the style of that school Himmel himself adopted in his serious operas. The first of these, a pastoral opera, Il Primo Navigatore, was produced at Venice in 1794 with great success.
His Italian operas were all received with great favor in their day. Of much greater importance than these is an operetta to German words by Kotzebue, called Fanchon, an admirable specimen of the primitive form of the musical drama known in Germany as the Singspiel. Himmel's gift of writing genuine simple melody is also observable in his songs. He died in Berlin.
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