Page:A Dictionary of Music and Musicians vol 1.djvu/491

EAGER. of music. On the appearance of Logier's system of instruction Eager became one of its warmest advocates. He was appointed organist to the corporation of Yarmouth. He passed the remainder of his life in teaching. He is said to have possessed a knowledge of, and to have taught, nearly every instrument then in use. His compositions consist of a pianoforte sonata and a collection of songs. [ W. H. H. ]

EASTCOTT,, a resident in Exeter, was author of 'Sketches of the Origin, Progress and Effects of Music, with an Account of the Ancient Bards and Minstrels,' a well-executed compilation published at Bath in 1793, and which was so favourably received as to call forth a second edition in the same year. He also published some pianoforte sonatas. He died towards the end of 1828, being then chaplain of Livery Dale, Devonshire. He was the early patron of John Davy. [ W. H. H. ]

EBDON,, born at Durham in 1738. It is presumed from the circumstance of the name and date 'T. Ebdon, 1755,' still remaining, carved on the oak screen which divides the choir of Durliam cathedral from one of the aisles, that he received his early musical education in that church as a chorister, and probably, after the breaking of his voice, as an articled pupil of the organist. In 1763 he was appointed organist of Durham Cathedral, which office he held until his death, 48 years afterwards, on Sept 23, 1811. Ebdon's published compositions comprise two harpsichord sonatas (about 1780), a collection of glees; and two volumes of cathedral music, the first of which appeared in 1790, and the second in 1810. Besides these he left many anthems etc., in MS., the last of them bearing date June 1811. [ W. H. H. ]

EBERARDI,, a singer of mezzo-carattere parts in London, 1761. Among other rôles she sang that of Lena in Galuppi's opera 'Il Filosofo di Campagna,' adapted for the King's Theatre by Cocchi. [ J. M. ]

EBERL,, distinguished pianist and composer, born June 13, 1766, at Vienna. He was intended by his father, a well-to-do government employé, for the law, but his love for music broke through all obstacles, and started him as a pianist. His theoretical studies were slight, but his first opera, 'La Marchande de Modes' (Leopoldstadt 1787), is said to have pleased Gluck so much, that he advised the young composer to devote himself seriously to music. His friendship with Mozart was also of great service to him. His melodrama 'Pyramus and Thisbe' was produced at the court theatre in 1794, on his return from his first professional tour; but he soon undertook another in Germany, in company with Mozart's widow and Lange the singer. In 1796 he was appointed Capellmeister at St. Petersburg, where he remained for 5 years greatly esteemed. On his return to Vienna he produced at the court theatre (May 1801) a romantic opera 'Die Königin der schwarzen Inseln,' which was however only a partial success. In 1803 he went again to Russia, and in 1806 travelled to all the principal towns of Germany, where the brilliancy and fire of his playing were universally acknowledged. He returned to Vienna and died suddenly March 11, 1807. His compositions were long favourites. The following are among the most remarkable:&mdash;'Grand Sonata,' op. 27, dedicated to Cherubini; 'Gr. Sonata caractéristique' in F minor, op. 12, dedicated to Haydn (Peters); Variations sur un théme Russe,' for Cello obbl., op. 17; 3 Pianoforte Trios, op. 8, dedicated to Grand-Duke Pawlowitsch; Trio for Pianoforte, Clarinet, and Cello, op. 36 (Kühnel); Pianoforte Quartet in C major, op. 18, dedicated to Maria Theresa; ditto in G minor, op. 25 (Vienna); Clavier Quintet, op. 78 (Vienna); Pianoforte Concertos in C major, op. 32, and E&#x266d; major, op. 40 (Kühnel); and 3 String Quartets, op. 13, dedicated to Emperor Alexander I (Vienna, Mollo). He also published many smaller pianoforte pieces for 2 and 4 hands, and 6 Lieder, op 4 (Hamburg); a Cantata with orchestral accompaniment, 'La gloria d'Imenéo,' op. 11, also arranged for pianoforte; and a Symphony in D minor (Breitkopf & Härtel). He left in MS. symphonies, serenades, concertos for 1 and 2 pianofortes, several pieces of chamber-music, and unpublished operas, besides the three already mentioned. Though he has now entirely vanished from the concert-room, Eberl must in his day have been a very considerable person. It is well known that several of his pianoforte works were long published, and popular, as Mozart's,&mdash;viz. the fine Sonata in C minor (finally published with his own name as op. 1 by Artaria); Variations on the theme 'Zu Steffen sprach; Variations on 'Freundin sanfter Herzenstriebe;' and on 'Andantino von Dittersdorf' (see Köchel's Mozart, anh. 287, 8). His Symphony in E&#x266d; would actually appear to have been played in the same programme with Beethoven's 'Eroica' (A. M. Zeitung, vii. 321); and the two are contrasted by the reviewer to the distinct disadvantage of the latter! [ C. F. P. ]

EBERLIN,, court-organist and 'Truchsess' (or carver) to the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg, and an eminent German composer of sacred music. His name, place and date of birth and death are here for the first time correctly given from official records. His original name was Eberle, which was turned, according to a custom then common with women, into Eberlin, and as such he retained it. He was the son of the land-steward to Baron von Stain, and was born March 27, 1702 (not 1716) at Jettingen (not Jettenbach), a market-village near Günzburg, in the Upper-Danube district of Bavaria. He died at Salzburg, June 21, 1762 (not 1776). He was court-organist to Archbishop Franz Anton, Graf von Harrach, as early as the time of his marriage, which took place in 1727 at Seekirchen on the Wallersee, near Salzburg. Of his early life or musical education nothing is known, and the number even of his many valuable contrapuntal works can only be imperfectly ascertained. Among the best known 