Ernst Richter

Who was Ernst Richter?

Ernst Friedrich Eduard Richter, was a German musical theorist, born at Großschönau, Saxony.

He first studied music at Zittau, and afterwards at Leipzig, where he attained so high a reputation that in 1843 he was appointed professor of harmony and counterpoint at the conservatorium of music, then newly founded by Felix Mendelssohn. On the death of Moritz Hauptmann on 3 January 1868, he was elected cantor of Thomasschule zu Leipzig, conducting the Thomanerchor, an office he retained until his death.

He is best known by three theoretical works: Lehrbuch der Harmonie, Lehre vom Contra punct and Lehre von der Fuge, valuable textbooks known to English students through the excellent translation by Franklin Taylor.

"Ernst Friedrich [Eduard] Richter []...His compositions include psalms for chorus and orchestra, motets, two masses, a Stabat Mater, part songs, string quartets and sonatas, and also pieces for organ and for piano. But it is his treatise on the theory of music that will keep Professor Richter's name from oblivion. As already mentioned, two English editions have appeared: one in London by Mr.