Friedrich Silcher

SILCHER, (Philipp) Friedrich. b. Schnait, near Stuttgart, 27 June 1789; d. Tübingen, 26 August 1860. Silcher studied music under his father, and later under N.F. Auberlen at Fellbach. He became a private tutor at Schondorf (1806-09), and then taught at a girls’ school at Ludwigsburg (1809-15). He then became a private music teacher again at Stuttgart before being appointed director of music at the University of Tübingen in 1817. There he founded a male voice choir, the Akademische Liedertafel, in 1820, and a mixed choir, the Oratorienchor, in 1839; he also pursued his aim of furthering a popular musical education, and a national culture through music and song. He was known throughout...