Philipp Jakob Rittler  (1637-1690)
Last updated: 02.04.23
According to the Internet source given below, Philipp Jakob Rittler was a Roman Catholic priest and a composer of Baroque music.
He studied at the Jesuit Gymnasium in Troppau from 1655 . Here he met Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber and Pavel Josef Vejvanovsky, who were also educated in Troppau, with Vejvanovsky joining him a lifelong friendship. Rittler is recorded as a priest and court Kapellmeister of the prince Johann Seyfried of Eggenberg in the castle Eggenberg in Graz from 1669-1673 . It is believed that he continued to study theology and music in Graz which he began in Troppau. He spoke and wrote fluent German and Czech.
In 1675 he became chaplain at the court of the bishop of Olomouc Karl Liechtenstein-Kastelkorn in Kremsier . In 1678 Rittler was called by the cathedral chapter to the cathedral vicar and choirmaster of the St. Wenceslas Cathedral in Olomouc, a position he retained until his death.
Before Rittler entered the service of the Olomouc bishop in 1675, he composed mainly secular instrumental music. From his time in Kremsier and then in Olomouc, he turned to sacred music.
The demanding solo parts of his compositions indicate that he had very good musicians at his disposal and he himself is said to have mastered the violin. His work follows contemporary European musical trends.
Websites:
url15.gif Philipp Jakob Rittler Biography by wikipedia.org.  
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