Max Zenger (* February 2, 1837 in Munich; † November 16, 1911) was a German composer, kapellmeister, teacher and music writer.
Max Zenger was a son of Karolina and Franz Xaver Zenger whowas a professor of law at the University of Munich. Of the seven siblings, five died as infants, among them the twin sister Maria. After graduating from secondary school in 1855 from Munich's Maximiliansgymnasium, Zenger was initially enrolled in the winter semester of 1855/56 as a student of philosophy at Munich University along with Hugo von Maffei. There he became a member of the ''Corps Isaria''. Afterwords he changed to music studies, first with Professor Ludwig Stark at the ''Stuttgart Musikhochschule'' then largely self-taught including 1859 to 1860 in Leipzig. From 1860 he worked as a composer, conductor of the "Bürgersängerzunft" and as a music consultant for the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" and the "Münchner Neuesten Nachrichten" in Munich. In 1868/69 he worked as Kapellmeister at the ''Stadttheater in Regensburg'' and in 1869 as music director at the Hofbühne in Munich. In 1872 Zenger was appointed music director of the Hofkapelle at the ''Großherzoglich Badischen Hoftheater'' in Karlsruhe but returned to Munich in 1877. There he worked as musical director of the ''Akademischer Gesangverein'' and from 1878 to 1885 as conductor of the ''Oratorienverein''. From 1880 he taught singing, harmony and music history at the royal music school and was appointed professor in 1882.
Max Zenger was considered a "fierce Wagner hater" and composed several operas, music for works by Goethe and Schiller, an oratorio, two symphonies as well as songs, choral and orchestral works. He was also active as a music writer and critic. His pupils are listed as: Hermann Gura (1870-1944), baritone, Georg Weinschütz (1871-1949), instrumentalist, Frida Felser, soprano, and Max Weinschütz (before 1894 and after 1929), composer and entertainer.
Max Zenger married Maria Holzer (1851-1888), Elevin (student) of the ''Großherzoglich Badenischen Hoftheater'' in Karlsruhe in 1872. In 1892 he entered into a second marriage in Munich with Susanna Reißner, daughter of a ''Wachtmeister and Kasernhausmeister'' (* 1870). The three children of this marriage died in childhood.
The tomb of Max Zenger is located at the Old Southern Cemetery (Alter Südfriedhof) in Munich (burial ground 12 - row 2 – grave space 55). In Munich-Bogenhausen there is a Max-Zenger-Straße (Street) since 1918. (Source: Wikipedia)
(Note: Translated from the German version of Wikipedia into English)
