Much respected in his lifetime, the German composer and organist Joseph Rheinberger is chiefly remembered for his organ music. He showed phenomenal early ability and was trained at the Munich Conservatory, where he was later employed as a professor until his death in 1901. His pupils in Munich included Humperdinck, Wolf-Ferrari and the great conductor Furtwängler.

Organ Music
Although Rheinberger contributed to other forms of music, dramatic and orchestral, sacred and secular, he is now remembered primarily for his 20 organ sonatas and other shorter compositions for the instrument.

Chamber Music
Chamber music by Rheinberger includes two suites for organ and violin and a suite for organ, violin and cello, in addition to music for the usual chamber ensembles.

Orchestral Music
Rheinberger’s relatively little orchestral music includes two organ concertos, one surviving symphony, a symphonic poem and a small number of concert overtures.

Vocal and Choral Music
Although Rheinberger wrote music for the theatre and a number of secular songs, he is principally remembered for his contribution to church music, witnessed in a number of Mass settings, three settings of the Requiem, and two settings of the Stabat mater.