Lebrun, Ludwig August (actually, LudwigKarl Maria)

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Lebrun, Ludwig August (actually, LudwigKarl Maria)

Lebrun, Ludwig August (actually, LudwigKarl Maria), celebrated German oboist and composer; b. Mannheim (baptized), May 2, 1752; d. Berlin, Dec. 16, 1790. He studied with his father, Jakob Alexander Lebrun, an oboist and répétiteur at the Mannheim court (1747–71). A precocious talent, he was admitted to the Mannheim Court Orch. as a scholar at the age of 12, and at 15 became a full member, a position he held until his death. He also toured as a virtuoso from about 1772, increasing his appearances after his marriage to the soprano Franziska (Dorothea) Lebrun (néeDanzi) in 1778. He visited Milan (1778), Paris (1779), London (1779–81), Vienna (1785), Prague (1785), Naples (1786–87), and Berlin (1789–90). In addition to solo appearances, he often appeared with his wife. He composed several fine oboe concertos, and also wrote ballets, chamber music, and duos for flute.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire

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