A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Schuberth, Gottlob
SCHUBERTH, Gottlob, born at Carsdorf, Aug. ii, 1778, received his musical education at Jena, and learnt the violin from Stamitz. In 1804 he went to Magdeburg, resided there for some years, and was distinguished as an excellent clarinet and oboe player. In 1833 he moved to Hamburg, where he died, Feb. 18, 1846. He is now remembered as the father of an eminent family. His eldest son
Julius ferdinand Georg, born at Magdeburg, July 14, 1804, was the founder of the well-known firm of J. Schuberth & Co. in Leipzig and New York. After learning the business of a music-publisher in Magdeburg, he started in 1826 on his own account at Hamburg, whence he was enabled to found branch establishments at Leipzig (1832), and New York (1850). In 1854 he gave up the Hamburg business to his brother Frederick (see below) and devoted himself entirely to Leipzig and New York. Besides his publishing business, Julius Schuberth was an indefatigable student of language, literature, and music. He was publisher, editor, and proprietor of a 'Musikalisches Conversations Lexicon' (which has gone through 10 editions, and from which the details of the present article have been obtained), the 'Hamburger kleiner Musik Zeitung' (1840–1850), the New York 'Musik Zeitung' (1867), and 'Schuberth's kleiner Musik Zeitung' (1871–1872). In 1840 he founded the 'Norddeutscher Musikverein and Preis Institut' at Hamburg. He received many decorations from the crowned heads of Germany in recognition of his services to music. In 1874 he settled at Leipzig, where he died, June 9, 1875. His business, which in 1877 comprised over 6000 publications, has been carried on with increasing success by his widow and nephew.
Ludwig, the second son of Gottlob, was born April 18, 1806, at Magdeburg. He studied under his father and C. M. von Weber, and when only 16 was music-director at the Stadt Theater of his native town. He was subsequently Court Capellmeister at Oldenburg, and after living at Riga and Königsberg (1835), became (1845) conductor of the German Opera at St. Petersburg, where he died in 1850. His compositions include some published chamber music, besides operas and symphonies which remain in MS. His younger brother,
Carl, was born at Magdeburg, Feb. 25, 1811. He learnt the piano from his father, and the violoncello from L. Hesse. In 1825 he was placed under Dotzauer at Dresden, and in 1828 made his first concert tour to Ludwigslust and Hamburg. In 1829 he played at Copenhagen and Gothenburg, but a series of misfortunes drove him back to Magdeburg, where he occupied the post of first cello in the theatre orchestra. In 1833 he again played in Hamburg with success, and during the next few years gave concerts in all the principal towns of North Germany, Belgium, and Holland, besides visiting Paris and London (1835). In the autumn of the latter year he was appointed solo cellist to the Czar. He remained for 20 years at St. Petersburg, occupying the posts of musical director at the University, conductor of the Imperial Court Orchestra, and inspector of the Imperial Dramatic College. He died at Zurich, July 22, 1863. His compositions include chamber music and concertos for the violoncello, etc.
Friedrich Wilhelm August, fifth son of Gottlob Schuberth, was born at Magdeburg, Oct. 27, 1817, and since 1853 has been the head of the firm of 'Fritz Schuberth' at Hamburg.[ W. B. S. ]