A composer of opera and his own texts who met with little success. He took an early position in Dresden after studying with Rietz. His musical attitudes and inspiration were so progressive that he could not study at the conservatory. Liszt's approval of his music (especially "Konig Sigurd") and desire to produce it moved Draeseke to compose a symphonic poem "Julius Caesar". Most of his music met with failure. Accordingly, he moved to Switzerland and eventually gathered enough piano students to make a living. He returned to Germany, however, when the prospects in Switzerlnad diminished. While in Switzerland his music developed through change and he produced works of greater merit ("Gudrun," "Herrat," amd "Fischer und Kalif"). ~ Keith Johnson