Richter, Ernst Friedrich (Eduard)

Richter, Ernst Friedrich (Eduard) , eminent German music theorist, teacher, organist, and composer; b. Gross-Schönau, Oct. 24, 1808; d. Leipzig, April 9, 1879. He studied at the Zittau Gymnasium and then pursued theological studies at the Univ. of Leipzig; received instruction in music from the Kantor Weinlig. When the Leipzig Cons. was founded in 1843, he became Hauptmann’s co-adjutor as teacher of harmony. He conducted the Leipzig Singakademie (1843–47), and was organist of the Petrikirche (from 1851) and the Neukirche (from 1862). In 1868 became music director of the Nikolaikirche and cantor of the Thomasschule. He composed several sacred cantatas, masses, Psalms, etc., and also wrote chamber music, piano pieces, and organ compositions. But he became primarily known as the compiler of practical and useful manuals on harmony, counterpoint, and fugue, which went into numerous eds. and trs. into all European languages, among them Die Grundzüge der musikalischen Formen und ihre Analyse (Leipzig, 1852), Lehrbuch der Harmonie (Leipzig, 1853; 36^th ed., 1953; Eng. tr., N.Y., 1867; newly tr. by T. Baker from the 25^th Ger. ed., N.Y., 1912; also in Swedish, Russian, Polish, Italian, French, Spanish, and Dutch), Lehrbuch der Fuge (Leipzig, 1859; 9^th ed., 1921; in Eng., London, 1878; also in Fr.), Katechismus der Orgel (Leipzig, 1868; 4^th ed., 1896), and Lehrbuch des einfachen und doppelten Kontrapunkts (Leipzig, 1872; 15^th ed., 1920; Eng. tr., London, 1874, and N.Y., 1884; also in Fr. and Russian). His son, Alfred Richter, brought out an Aufgabenbuch zu E.F. Richters Harmonielehre (Leipzig, 1879; 64^th ed., 1952).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire