JFL Kreuz and the Romantics

This is Jakob Friedrich Leonard Kreuz (1824-1862), to whom I am distantly related. He changed his surname from Kreuzfeld to Kreuz for reasons that I do not have the time, nor the space, nor the inclination to comment on. The family was well established and well respected in Weimar as high-end cabinet makers for the wealthy. JFL broke the tradition of a long line of firstborn sons who went into the family trade; he went to the Weimar University of Music. He picked up decent, but not extraordinary, piano skills and enough music theory to be a competent critic. Music remained his life's passion until he died in a duel with Karl Otto Emmanuel von Grütze, a fellow musician. 

Last known picture of JFL Kreuz (1862) 

JFL was a great admirer of Brahms (whom he once met in Vienna) and Schumann (he only met his widow, Clara). When, in the mid-nineteenth century, the conflict between the true, classic romantics and the new "progressives" flared up, he became an energetic and enthusiastic partisan of the traditionalists against the upstarts like Wagner and Liszt. He read the pamphlets, wrote fiery articles for newspapers friendly to their cause, but attended all concerts by composers of either side of the clash. He was deeply convinced that his party carried forth the tradition of Beethoven, and he was grateful for the support of Hans von Bülow* (who coined the phrase "The Three B" attaching Brahms to Bach and Beethoven).

The battle became very intense, the attacks became personal, and the warring factions resorted even to physical aggression. JFL paid people to attend the concerts of the opponents and boo and hiss to disrupt performances. The other side reciprocated. Von Grütze, once a friend and esteemed colleague, was the leader of the hooligans of the Wagner-Liszt group and, one evening, after a concert in Leipzig,  in the coffee house "Zum Baum", confronted JFL. He walked up to him and in a loud, hostile tone of voice called him a liar and a hypocrite. JFL used his gloves to slap him across the face, upon which von Grütze demanded satisfaction and informed him that he would send his secondants to discuss the details of the duel.  

The two met at six sharp, on the morning of Sunday, May 18th 1862, by the old canal. The two were accompanied by their witnesses, who handed each of them a heavy cavalry saber. As per agreement, the duel would end at the first drop of blood. A doctor and a priest were also in attendance.  Within a few minutes, von Grütze landed a blow to the side of JFL's neck. When blood started gushing, it became clear that the damage was to the carotid artery, and the priest pushed the doctor aside to administer last rites. JFL bled out quickly. Von Grütze stood a little further away and drank brandy from a silver flask one of his attendants brought. He remarked that his honor was intact and that he was now satisfied. 

JFL's body was taken home to Weimar to his family.

In time, the music war subsided, the rivalries and sacrifices were forgotten, and the two currents continued to exist in parallel, more or less peacefully, to this day.  

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JFL conveniently ignored the fact that Bülow initially was on the side of the "New Germans," being married to Cosima, the daughter of Franz Liszt. He switched allegiance after she left him for Wagner.