![EFE Richter](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/EFE_Richter.jpg)
Ernst Friedrich Eduard Richter (24 October 18089 April 1879), was a German musical theorist and composer, born at
Großschönau, Saxony.
He first studied music at
Zittau
Zittau ( hsb, Žitawa, dsb, Žytawa, pl, Żytawa, cs, Žitava, Upper Lusatian Dialect: ''Sitte''; from Slavic "'' rye''" (Upper Sorbian and Czech: ''žito'', Lower Sorbian: ''žyto'', Polish: ''żyto'')) is the southeasternmost city in the Ge ...
, and afterwards at
Leipzig
Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as ...
, where he attained so high a reputation that in 1843 he was appointed professor of harmony and counterpoint at the conservatorium of music, then newly founded by
Felix Mendelssohn. On the death of
Moritz Hauptmann
Moritz Hauptmann (13 October 1792, Dresden – 3 January 1868, Leipzig), was a German music theorist, teacher and composer. His principal theoretical work is the 1853 ''Die Natur der Harmonie und der Metrik'' explores numerous topics, particular ...
on 3 January 1868, he was elected cantor of
Thomasschule zu Leipzig
St. Thomas School, Leipzig (german: Thomasschule zu Leipzig; la, Schola Thomana Lipsiensis) is a co-educational and public boarding school in Leipzig, Saxony, Germany. It was founded by the Augustinians in 1212 and is one of the oldest schools i ...
, conducting the
Thomanerchor
The Thomanerchor (English: St. Thomas Choir of Leipzig) is a boys' choir in Leipzig, Germany. The choir was founded in 1212. The choir comprises about 90 boys from 9 to 18 years of age. The members, called ''Thomaner'', reside in a boarding sch ...
, an office he retained until his death.
He is best known by three theoretical works: ''Lehrbuch der Harmonie'', ''Lehrbuch des einfachen und doppelten Contrapunkts'' and ''Lehrbuch der Fuge'', valuable textbooks known to English students through the translation by J.C.D Parker and
Franklin Taylor Franklin Taylor (February 5, 1843 – March 19, 1919) was an English pianist, organist, music educator, and writer on music.
Life and career
Born in Birmingham, England, Franklin Taylor was trained as a pianist at the Leipzig Conservatory by Louis ...
.
"Ernst Friedrich
duardRichter
1808-1879)..His compositions include psalms for chorus and orchestra, motets, two masses, a Stabat Mater (voices only), part songs, string quartets and sonatas, and also pieces for organ and for piano. But it is his treatise on the theory of music that will keep Professor Richter's name from oblivion. As already mentioned, two English editions have appeared: one in London (printed without Richter's leave, by the way) by Mr. Franklin Taylor, which must by no means be accepted as a translation, but merely as a very moderate adaptation; the other, unfortunately little known in this country, printed with Richter's consent by John P. Morgan, in New York. The latter translation is most carefully done, and forms a strong contrast to the English edition. On last Good Friday, the 150th anniversary of the first production of Bach's Matthew Passion, the dear old cantor and beloved professor
ichterwas laid to his last rest, accompanied to his grave by the solemn sound of the beautiful choral, Jesu, meine Zuversicht. More hearty regret has rarely filled the hearts of those standing round a musician's grave. Once more the voices of his choir arose in Bach's beautiful melody to Wenn ich eimmal soil scheiden, and then with a last look at his coffin the crowd dispersed. But though gone to his last rest, the memory of many of us will long cherish, as one of the truest artists, most thorough musicians and excellent teachers, that we have ever met, the name of Ernst Friedrich Richter."
[(Boston: Dwight's Journal of Music. 1880.) Rev. John Sullivan Dwight (1812–1893). John Paul Morgan (1841–1879).]
Textbooks
* ''Die Grundzüge der musikalischen Formen und ihre Analyse'', Leipzig: Georg Wigand, 1852.
* ''Lehrbuch der Harmonie'', Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel, 1853.
* ''Lehrbuch der Fuge'', Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel, 1859.
* ''Katechismus der Orgel'', Leipzig: J. J. Weber, 1868.
* ''Lehrbuch des einfachen und doppelten Contrapunkts'', Leipzig: Breitkopf und Härtel, 1872.
Notes
References
*
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Richter, Ernst Friedrich Eduard
1808 births
1879 deaths
German male classical composers
German music theorists
German Romantic composers
People from the Kingdom of Saxony
Thomaskantors
19th-century classical composers
19th-century conductors (music)
19th-century German composers
19th-century German musicologists