Eberl, Anton
1766-1807
Famous Austrian pianist and composer. Born at Vienna and lived there all of his life, except four years, from 1796 to 1800, when he was Court conductor at St. Petersburg. He became a good pianist in his boyhood and began composing at the age of sixteen, when he produced the opera, Die Zigeuner. and a little later, La Marchande de Modes. These operas attracted the attention of Gluck and Mozart, who encouraged the young composer and became his staunch friends. He made many successful concert tours during his life, and for many years his compositions were popular, being several times preferred even to Mozart's and Beethoven's. Beside the works already mentioned, Eberl wrote three other operas, Die Konigin der Schwarzen Inselm, Die Hexe Megara, and Graf Balduin von Flandern; a large number of piano works, including symphonies, sonatas and concertos; also much chamber-music and many piano solos and songs.