German composer who upheld traditional ideals during the post-Wagnerian era.

Pfitzner was a pupil at Frankfurt of Iwan Knorr. Between 1892 and 1934 he held posts as teacher and conductor in several German towns, including Strassburg, where he was director of the conservatory and of the opera. His operas include Der arme Heinrich (Mainz, 1895), Die Rose vom Liebesgarten (Eberfeld, 1901), and Palestrina (Munich, 1917), the last being his best known work. His works were widely played in Germany but made little impression in other countries.