Herbeck, Johann (Franz), Ritter von
Herbeck, Johann (Franz), Ritter von
Herbeck, Johann (Franz), Ritter von, prominent Austrian conductor, pedagogue, and composer; b. Vienna, Dec. 25, 1831; d. there, Oct. 28, 1877. He was a choirboy at the Heiligendkreuz Cistercian monastery, where he had piano lessons with Borschitzky. After training in composition from Rotter in Vienna (1845–46), he attended lectures in philosophy and law at the Univ. there (1847). He pursued his career in Vienna, receiving his first post as choirmaster of the Piaristenkirche in 1852. From 1856 to 1866 he was conductor of the Männergesangverein. In 1857 he joined the faculty of the Cons, of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, and also served as director of the latter’s choral soc. from 1858 to 1870, and again from 1875 to 1877. In 1863 he was made Vice-Kapellmeister and in 1866 Kapellmeister of the Hofkapelle. After serving as co-director of the Court Opera in 1869-70, he was its director from 1870 to 1875. Herbeck was especially admired as a conductor of choral music. He also did much to promote the music of his contemporaries. Among his own works were many choral pieces of considerable merit.
Bibliography
L. Herbeck, J. H: Ein Lebensbild (Vienna, 1885); J. Braun, J.R. v. H. und das Wiener Hofoperntheater (diss., Univ. of Vienna, 1949).
—Nicola Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire