Singer, Peter

1810-1882

 

Franciscan monk; the son of a bellfounder, and was entirely self-taught in music. In 1839 he constructed a musical mechanism with reeds, a kind of orchestrion, which he called pansymphonikon. He is also said to have discovered a new system of harmony. He became a distinguished organist and pianist and wrote considerable sacred music, including no less than one hundred and one masses; six hundred offertories; and about thirty litanies; many marienlieder and piano works. In 1883 a monument was erected to him in Salzburg.