A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Schubring, Julius

by George Grove

SCHUBRING, Julius, D.D., rector of S. George's church, Dessau, claims a place in a Dictionary of Music for his connexion with Mendelssohn. He was born at Dessau, June 2, 1806, was educated there, and at the Universities of Leipzig (1824) and Berlin (1825–30), at the latter of which he first made the Mendelssohns' acquaintance, through a letter from W. Müller the poet. The acquaintance soon ripened into a very intimate friendship, for the details of which see Schubring's admirable Recollections of Mendelssohn ('Erinnerungen' etc., in 'Daheim,' 1866, No. 26; and 'Musical World,' May 12, 19, 1866). He was much consulted by Mendelssohn on the words of 'St. Paul' and 'Elijah,' in reference to which and to a possible oratorio on S. Peter, ten letters are printed in the published 'Briefe.' The Recollections are models of their class, and deserve republication. Schubring, besides several theological works, has published a 'Gesangbüchlein' of hymns in rhythm for schools (Dessau, 1857), and assisted in compiling the Anhalt Gesangbuch for Church, School, and Home use (Elberfeld, 1859). He is st111 living and working, to remind us how prematurely Mendelssohn was cut off.

[ G. ]