Thomas, Christian Gottfried
Thomas, Christian Gottfried
Thomas, Christian Gottfried, German horn player, music publisher, impresario, writer on music, and composer; b. Wehrsdorf, near Bautzen, Feb. 2, 1748; d. Leipzig, Sept. 12, 1806. He studied law at the Univ. of Leipzig (1770-71) before devoting himself to music. In 1771 he was made 1st horn player of the Leipzig Grosses Konzert. In 1776 he organized a music copying and MS storehouse enterprise in Leipzig, where he became an influential impresario; also toured as a horn player. Among his works, most of which are lost, were syms., 2 double concertos for Waldhorn, Gloria for 3 Choirs and 24 Instruments (Hamburg, Aug. 18, 1789), Psalm CXLIX for Double Choir (1789-94), Cantata for 2 Choirs and 24 Instruments (Prague, Aug. 13, 1792), (2) Gedichte for Soprano, Tenor, and 18 Instruments (1792), Schlachtgesang for 2 Choirs and 30 Instruments (1795), (4) Volksgesänge for Choir and 20 Instruments (1797), and Psalm CXVII for 7 Choirs and Orch. His writings include Praktische Beyträge zur Geschichte der Musik, musikalischen Litteratur und gemeinen Besten (Leipzig, 1778), Kurzge-fasster Entwurf des Plan’s des zuerrichtenden öffentlichen Musik-Conservatoriums und Musikalienhandlung zu N.N. (nach der neuesten vorsunehmende Einrichtung) (Leipzig, 1781), Unpartheiische Kritik (Leipzig, 1798-1800?; continued as Musikalische kritische Zeitschrift, 18007-1806), Nachtricht an ein verehrungswürdiges Publikum: Die Herausgabe einer kritischen musicalischen Zeitschrift in Vergleichung mit einem andren ähnlichen Unternehmen betreffend (Leipzig, July 11, 1798), and Musikalisch-litterarische Anzeige (Leipzig, Aug. 15, 1798)..
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire