A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Richter, Ernst

RICHTER, Ernst Friedrich Eduard, son of a schoolmaster, born Oct. 24, 1808, at Grosschönau in Lusatia; from his eleventh year attended the Gymnasium at Zittau, managed the choir, and arranged independent performances. In 1831 he went to Leipzig to study with Weinlig, the then Cantor, and made such progress that soon after the foundation of the Conservatorium, in 1843, he became one of the professors of harmony and counterpoint. Up to 1847 he conducted the Singakademie; he was afterwards organist of the Nicolai and Peters Neukirchen. After Hauptmann's death, Jan. 3, 1868, he succeeded him as Cantor of the St. Thomas school. Of his books, the 'Lehrbuch der Harmonielehre' (12th ed. 1876) has been translated into Dutch, Swedish, Italian, Russian, Polish, and English. The 'Lehre von der Fuge' has passed through three editions, and 'Vom Contrapunct' through two. The English translations of all these are by Franklin Taylor, and were published by Cramer & Co. in 1864, 1878, and 1874 respectively. Richter also published a 'Catechism of Organ-building.' Of his many compositions de circonstance the best known is the Cantata for the Schiller Festival in 1859. Other works are—an oratorio, 'Christus der Erlöser' (March 8, 1849), masses, psalms, motets, organ-pieces, string-quartets, and sonatas for PF. He became one of the King's Professors in 1868, died at Leipzig, April 9, 1879, and was succeeded as Cantor by W. Rust.

[ F. G. ]