Complete Encyclopaedia of Music/B/Beer, Joseph

Beer, Joseph (sometimes written Boer by the Germans) was born in Gr�nwald, in Bohemia, in 1744. At the age of fourteen he played in a military band in the emperor's service, and afterwards was trumpeter in the French army during the Seven Years' War. Chance led him to Paris, where he became connected with the music of the Duke of Orleans. Here he first devoted himself to the study of the clarinet. He remained here twenty years. In 1788 he visited Holland, Italy, and Russia, where his talent excited great admiration. In 1791 he gave a brilliant concert in Prague, then went to Hungary, and returned to Prague in 1792, at the coronation of the Emperor Francis Il., at which time his concerts created great enthusiasm. Called to Berlin soon after, he remained there as concert master to the Prussian monarch until 1808. Thence he revisited Prague, and returning to Berlin, died in 1811. Before him the art of playing the clarinet was in its infancy ; he may almost be said to have created this instrument, since he overcame so many of its imperfections. In his kind he was one of the most remarkable artists that Germany has produced. But few compositions of his are known ; one concerto for the clarinet, six clarinet duos, an air with seven variations, &c., are all that Fells mentions.