ERNST

See also:

• LUDWIG, KARL FRIEDRICH WILHELM (1816—1895)
• LUDWIG, OTTO (1813-1865)

LUDWIG

See also:

• ERNST LUDWIG GERBER (1746-1819)

GERBER (1746-1819)  , German musician, author of a famous dictionary of musicians, was born at Sondershausen in the principality of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen on the 29th of September 1746 . His father, Henry Nicolas Gerber (1702-1775), a pupil of J . S . Bach, was an organist and composer of some distinction, and under his direction Ernst Ludwig at, an early age had made great progress in his musical studies.; In 1765 he went to Leipzig to study law, but the claims of music, which had gained additional strength from his acquaintanceship with J . A . Hiller, soon came to occupy almost his sole attention . On his return to Sondershausen he was appointed music teacher to the children of the prince, and in 1775 he succeeded his father as court organist . Afterwards he devoted much of his time to the study of the literature and history of music, and with thisview he made himself master of several modern languages . His Historisch-biographisches Lexikon der Tonkiinstler appeared in 1790 and 1792 in two volumes; and the first volume of what was virtually an improved and corrected edition of this work was published in 1810 under the title Neues historisch-biographisches Lexikon der Tonkiinstler, followed by other three volumes in 1812, 1813 and 1814 . Gerber also contributed a number of papers to musical periodicals, and published several minor musical compositions . He died at Sondershausen on the 3oth of June 1819 .