Nicolas-Joseph Wackenthaler

Nicolas-Joseph Wackenthaler (6 December 1840 – 19 May 1913) was a French organist and composer. Life Born in Sélestat (Bas-Rhin), Wackenthaler belonged to a large family of Alsatian organists. His grandfather, François-Joseph Wackenthaler (9 December 1767 – 17 February 1828), was organist at the St. George’s Church, Sélestat from around 1800 to 1828. His father, François-Charles Wackenthaler (31 October 1806 – 13 February 1859), eighth child of François-Joseph, succeeded him in 1828 as organist at Saint-Georges de Sélestat until his own death in 1859. His uncle, Joseph Wackenthaler (20 November 1795 – 3 March 1869), second child of François-Joseph, was Kapellmeister from 1819, then organist from 1833 to 1869 at the Strasbourg Cathedral. Another uncle, François-Louis Wackenthaler (18 September 1811 – 24 May 1849), tenth child of François-Joseph, was appointed organist at the St. Faith’s Church, Sélestat around 1830 and held this position until his death in 1849. His cousin, François-Xavier Joseph Wackenthaler (5 December 1823 – 11 October 1856), second child of Joseph, was an organ teacher at the École Niedermeyer de Paris from the opening of the school in 1853 until his death in 18