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Georg von Reutter was born on 6, April, 1708, in Vienna, and died on 11, March, 1772, also in Vienna. He studied music first with his father, Georg Reutter, who was Court Organist to the Hapsburgs, then later with Antonio Caldara, who was Vice Maestro di Cappella in Vienna until his death in 1736. At the age of 22, Reutter enhanced his musical studies with a one-year educational tour of Italy, returning to Vienna to begin his first musical post: court composer.
Having already composed five operas, four oratorios and a serenata before beginning his official service to the Court of Charles VI, the young Reutter produced as his first official work the serenata La Generosità di Artaserse con Temistocle in honor of the emperor's 46th birthday. Soon followed a series of operas and serenatas on texts mostly by Pasquini and Metastasio; Reutter was to continue writing dramatic works for another 29 years, producing some 32 major secular vocal works. His focus moved toward religious music, however, when in 1738 he inherited from his father the post of Music Director at the Cathedral of St. Stephen. In the course of his career, Reutter composed over 500 works for the Church, including 81 masses, 126 motets and 6 requiems.
Despite declining imperial support for the musical establishment in Vienna during the reign of Empress Maria Teresa, who ascended in 1740, Reutter nonetheless was able to garner a series of titles and posts: knighted when he was 32, he became Assistant Maestro di Cappella at age 39, followed four years later by Maestro di Cappella pro-tem, then Director of Music for all of Vienna when he was 61. His mature works were to have a profound influence on the First Viennese School, and he was greatly admired during his lifetime as a composer of importance. The esteem Reutter was accorded was demonstrated at his death by his interment within the Cathedral of St. Stephen.
Sources
Alma Redemptoris Mater, by Georg Reutter (Garri Editions, Frankfurt am Main, 2006) Dr. Alejandro Garri, Ed.
