Ernst Gottlieb Baron
Encyclopedia
Ernst Gottlieb Baron or Ernst Theofil Baron( February 17, 1696 – April 12, 1760), was a German
lutenist, composer
and writer on music.
Baron was born in Breslau into the family Michael Baron, of a maker of gold lace who expected his son to follow in his footsteps. Baron showed an inclination to music from an early age, and later made it his profession. He studied lute from about 1710 with a Bohemia
n named Kohott. He attended the Elisabeth Gymnasium in Breslau, and from 1715 the University of Leipzig, where he studied philosophy and law.
.
He spent the period from 1719 to 1728 in travels from one small court to another. He visited Halle, Köthen, Schleiz, Saalfeld and Rudolstadt, arriving in Jena in 1720 and remaining for two years. Later he travelled to Kassel, Fulda, Würzburg, Nuremberg and Regensburg, returning in 1727 to Nuremberg where his published his "Historisch-theoretische und practische Untersuchung des Instruments der Lauten", the work for which he is principally remembered. In 1728 he replaced the lutenist Meusel, who had recently died in horseback riding accident, at the court of Gotha. He held that post for four years. After the death of the Duke of Gotha he moved on to Eisenach.
In 1737 he visited Merseburg, Köthen and Zerbst, and eventually joined the musical ensemble of Crown Prince Frederick of Prussia as a theorbist. He was immediately granted permission to go to Dresden
to purchase a theorbo
. In Dresden he received tuition from the lutenists Sylvius Leopold Weiss
and I.A. Hofer.
After Frederick's accession in 1740, Baron continued to serve as theorbist in the royal musical establishment, and remained at this post until his death in Berlin
.
Baron’s other writings, currently incompletely studied, supplement the "Untersuchung", and explore other subjects.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
lutenist, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and writer on music.
Baron was born in Breslau into the family Michael Baron, of a maker of gold lace who expected his son to follow in his footsteps. Baron showed an inclination to music from an early age, and later made it his profession. He studied lute from about 1710 with a Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
n named Kohott. He attended the Elisabeth Gymnasium in Breslau, and from 1715 the University of Leipzig, where he studied philosophy and law.
.
He spent the period from 1719 to 1728 in travels from one small court to another. He visited Halle, Köthen, Schleiz, Saalfeld and Rudolstadt, arriving in Jena in 1720 and remaining for two years. Later he travelled to Kassel, Fulda, Würzburg, Nuremberg and Regensburg, returning in 1727 to Nuremberg where his published his "Historisch-theoretische und practische Untersuchung des Instruments der Lauten", the work for which he is principally remembered. In 1728 he replaced the lutenist Meusel, who had recently died in horseback riding accident, at the court of Gotha. He held that post for four years. After the death of the Duke of Gotha he moved on to Eisenach.
In 1737 he visited Merseburg, Köthen and Zerbst, and eventually joined the musical ensemble of Crown Prince Frederick of Prussia as a theorbist. He was immediately granted permission to go to Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
to purchase a theorbo
Theorbo
A theorbo is a plucked string instrument. As a name, theorbo signifies a number of long-necked lutes with second pegboxes, such as the liuto attiorbato, the French théorbe des pièces, the English theorbo, the archlute, the German baroque lute, the angélique or angelica. The etymology of the name...
. In Dresden he received tuition from the lutenists Sylvius Leopold Weiss
Sylvius Leopold Weiss
Silvius Leopold Weiss was a German composer and lutenist.Born in Grottkau near Breslau, the son of Johann Jacob Weiss, also a lutenist, he served at courts in Breslau, Rome, and Dresden, where he died...
and I.A. Hofer.
After Frederick's accession in 1740, Baron continued to serve as theorbist in the royal musical establishment, and remained at this post until his death in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
Writings
Baron’s "Untersuchung" is a valuable source of information about lutenists and lute playing in the late Baroque era. It is divided into two main parts. The first deals with the history of the lute, and contains important references to contemporary players. The second is devoted to the practice of the instrument.Baron’s other writings, currently incompletely studied, supplement the "Untersuchung", and explore other subjects.
- "Historisch-theoretische und practische Untersuchung des Instruments der Lauten" (Nuremberg, 1727/R)
- "Herrn Barons Fortsetzung seiner in dem Waltherischen Lexico befindlichen Lebensumstände", in F.W. Marpurg: Historisch-kritische Beyträge zur Aufnahme der Musik, i (Berlin, 1755/R), 544–6
- "Herrn Ernst Gottlieb Barons Beytrag zur historisch- theoretisch- und practischen Untersuchung der Laute", ii (Berlin, 1756/R), 65–83
- "Herrn Barons Abhandlung von dem Notensystem der Laute und der Theorbe", 119–23
- "Herrn Barons zufällige Gedanken über verschiedene musikalische Materien", 124–44
- "Abriss einer Abhandlung von der Melodie: eine Materie der Zeit" (Berlin, 1756)
- "Versuch über das Schöne" (Altenburg, 1757)
Works
- Suite, D, lute, in G. Telemann: Der getreue Musikmeister (Hamburg, 1728)
- Fantasie, lute, in F. Seidel: 12 Menuette für die Laute von Herrn F. Seidel, samt einer Fantasie von Herrn Baron (Leipzig, 1757/R1969)
- 2 concertos, C, lute, vn, bc; duet, G, lute, fl: B-Bc
- 6 partitas, lute; 6 trios, lute, va, vc; sonata, 2 lutes: D-LEbh; ed. L. Sayce (n.p., 1998)
- Partie, A, lute, Bsb
- Sonata, 2 lutes, fl, LEm
- Suite movements, lute, Dl, ROu, RUS-KA