Hiller was a composer, conductor and pianist who may have made hasty criticisms of other composers, but who had a spirit open enough to recognize there accomplishments. Such was the case with Wagner and Liszt. He studied the piano with Schmitt and Hummel (one of Hummel's few students) and traveled to Paris and Italy. He replaced Mendelssohn as The Gewandhaus Orchestra conductor in Leipzig which ended their friendship (1843); in 1844 he went to Dresden, and in 1847, to Dusseldorf. He was attracted to the possibilities in Dusseldorf as it had not kept a significant musician in residence for the past ten years. Hiller could fill the void left vacant by Mendelssohn's departure. After Dusseldorf he arrived in Cologne in 1850 where he reorganized the music school, conducted, and assisted in the preparation and execution of festivals. Hiller began as an innovative and progressive composer but, whether due to the influence of the Cologne establishment or his own process, he became conservative in his musicianship and critiques. As a Mozart interpreter, Hiller excelled. As a productive composer, Hiller set operas, oratorios, chamber pieces, orchestral and choral works but his forte was songs and piano pieces that are currently employed in the teaching repertory. ~ Keith Johnson, Rovi