Weckerlin, Jean Baptiste Thedore

1821-

Composer, writer and editor; native of Alsatia. He was born at Gebweiler, Alsatia, entered his father's business of cotton-dyeing, but was led by love of music to leave home and study in Paris; entered the Conservatory in 1844, studied composition with Halevy; in 1847 produced the heroic symphony, Roland. On leaving the Conservatory he engaged in teaching and composing, and became interested in musical bibliography, brought to light curious old works, some produced at the Societe Sainte Cecile, which he served as chorusmaster from 1850 to 1855. His first published compositions were songs. In 1853 appeared a very successful one-act opera, L'Organiste dans 1'Embarras, which had one hundred performances at the Theatre Lyrique. This was followed by some salon operettas, and by two comic operas in Alsatian dialect, Die dreifache Hochzeit im Besenthal and D'r verhaxt' Herbst. In 1877 his one-act opera, Apres Fontenot, was presented at the Theatre Lyrique. In 1869 he became assistant librarian at the Paris Conservatory, became librarian in 1876 and f also served as archivist of the Societe des Compositeurs de Musique. He printed an important bibliographical catalog in 1885; as student of music of the past has rendered valuable service in various published collections, including volumes of popular songs, folk-songs, children's songs, madrigals and chansons, and in contributions to musical history and biography. In the department of choral and orchestral composition he has won distinction; is author of an oratorio; cantatas; the ode symphonic, Les Poemes de la Mer; a grand symphony; choruses; songs a capella and other work. His history of musical instruments and instrumental music gained him an award from the Academic in 1875.