The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Becker, Karl Ferdinand (organist)

BECKER, Karl Ferdinand, German organist and writer on music: b. Leipzig, 17 July 1804; d. there, 26 Oct. 1877. He was a student of Friedrich Schneider, being already an accomplished musician at the age of 14. At the age of 21 he was organist in Saint Peter's Church in his native city. In 1843 he was appointed professor of organ playing at the Leipzig Conservatory, which position he held for 13 years. It is not, however, so much on his talents as a musician that his fame rests as on his works on the theory of music. Among his important works are ‘Systematisch-chrologische Darstellung der musikalischen Litteratur’ (Leipzig 1836); ‘Die Hausmusik in Deutschland im 16, 17 und 18 Jahrhundert’ (Leipzig 1840); ‘Lieder und Weisen vergangener Jahrhunderte’ (2d ed., Leipzig 1852). He was also a collaborator with Schumann in ‘Neue Zeitschrift für Musik.’