Schoberlechner, Franz

1797-1843

Pianist and dramatic composer; born in Vienna. His talent developed very early and was fostered by Hummel, who was his first teacher, and composed his second concerto in C especially for his promising pupil, who played it in public when he was only ten years old. Under the patronage of Prince Esterhazy Schoberlechner was then sent to Forster in Vienna, and in 1814 he began to travel in Italy and Austria. The following year he was appointed chapelmaster to the Duchess of Lucca, and in 1820 returned to Vienna. Three years after he went to St. Petersburg, where he married Sophie dell' Occa, daughter of a singing-master. After touring Germany and Italy they returned to St. Petersburg, and Mme. Schoberlechner filled a three-years' engagement in Italian Opera there, singing her husband's opera, II Barone di Dolzheim, with moderate success. At the close of her engagement in Italian Opera, in 1830, Schoberlechner and his wife took up concert touring again, traveling through Italy and Germany for several years, then retiring to a country-place near Florence, where in 1843 Schoberlechner died and Mme. Schoberlechner twenty years later. Schoberlechner's compositions are I Virtuosi teatrali, Gli Arabi nelle Gallic, Der junge Onkel, II Barone di Dolzheim, and Rossane, all operas; overture for orchestra; string quartet; requiem; themes varies for piano and orchestra; besides much piano-music.