Weißheimer's background differed from other composers in that he did not come from a musical family.
His father had intended him to inherit the Stone Mill, and thus he was sent to a secondary school in Darmstadt when he was only 13 as an apprentice.
There, through his piano teacher, a member of the theater orchestra, he had an opportunity to listen to a rehearsal for the performance of Tannhauser.
He had heard earlier parts of the music during a visit to a military concert.
Weißheimer wrote that these experiences influenced him greatly.
In his book: Experiences with Richard Wagner, Franz Liszt and many other contemporaries, he wrote: "An unsuspected new world had risen for me, in fact."
Soon thereafter, in Darmstadt, Wendelin Weißheimer listened to the Lohengrin opera, and in Frankfurt to the Flying Dutchman, putting him into a Wagnerian delirium.
In his final year in school Wendelin was introduced to music theory by theater conductor Louis Schindelmeisser.
This so captivated him that he soon began to compose.

Schindelmeisser was the first to recognize Wendelin's musical talent.
He had to persuade Wendellin's father to allow him to pursue his musical intentions.
To this end, Schindelmeisser went to the Stone Mill in Osthofen on 16 March 1856.
The father's initial astonishment gave way to his approval.
On his departure, Schindelmeisser gave young Weißheimer a picture dedicated to him as well as one of many original letters written by Richard Wagner.
Weißheimer's background differed from other composers in that he did not come from a musical family. His father had intended him to inherit the Stone Mill, and thus he was sent to a secondary school in Darmstadt when he was only 13 as an apprentice. There, through his piano teacher, a member of the theater orchestra, he had an opportunity to listen to a rehearsal for the performance of Tannhauser. He had heard earlier parts of the music during a visit to a military concert. Weißheimer wrote that these experiences influenced him greatly. In his book: Experiences with Richard Wagner, Franz Liszt and many other contemporaries, he wrote: "An unsuspected new world had risen for me, in fact." Soon thereafter, in Darmstadt, Wendelin Weißheimer listened to the Lohengrin opera, and in Frankfurt to the Flying Dutchman, putting him into a Wagnerian delirium. In his final year in school Wendelin was introduced to music theory by theater conductor Louis Schindelmeisser. This so captivated him that he soon began to compose.
Schindelmeisser was the first to recognize Wendelin's musical talent. He had to persuade Wendellin's father to allow him to pursue his musical intentions. To this end, Schindelmeisser went to the Stone Mill in Osthofen on 16 March 1856. The father's initial astonishment gave way to his approval. On his departure, Schindelmeisser gave young Weißheimer a picture dedicated to him as well as one of many original letters written by Richard Wagner.
Wendelin Weißheimer