A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Lobe, Johann Christian

LOBE, Johann Christian, musician, and writer on music of some eminence, was born May 30, 1797, at Weimar, and owed his musical instruction to the Grand Duchess Maria Paulowna. The flute was his instrument, and after performing a solo at the Gewandhaus, Leipzig, in 1811, he settled at his native place as second flute in the Duke's band. He has written five operas, besides overtures for the orchestra, P.F. quartets, and other compositions. But it is as a litterateur that he is most interesting to us. He resigned his place at Weimar in 1842, and in 46 undertook the editing of the Allgem. mus. Zeitung of Leipzig, which he retained until the termination of that periodical in 48. In 1853 he began a publication called 'Fliegende Blätter für Musik, of which about 20 numbers were published; he then edited the musical department of the Leipzig Illustrirter Zeitung, and made endless contributions to other periodicals. His principal books, some of which have appeared first in the periodicals, are 'Musikalische Briefe … von einer Wohlbekannten,' 2 vols, Leipzig, 1852; 'Aus dem Leben eines Musiker' (Ib. 59); a Catechism of Composition, and another of Music (both have been translated); 'Consonanzen und Dissonanzen' (Ib. 1870); Lehrbuch der musikalischen Composition (4 vols. Ib. 1851 to 67). To the amateur student these works are all valuable, because they treat of the science of music in a plain and untechnical way, and are full of intelligence and good sense. The Musikalische Briefe, a series of short sketches of the progress of music and of the characteristics of musicians, will be read with interest by many. Some conversations with Mendelssohn appear to be faithfully reported, and bring out some of his traits in a very amusing manner. [App. p.705 "date of death, July 27, 1881."]

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