Johann Schobert

Johann Schobert (ca. 1720, 1735 or 1740?  – 28 August 1767) was a composer and harpsichordist. His date and place of birth are disputed. Some sources say he was born in 1735 in Schlesien, Austria; others have him from Silesia, as suggested by Friedrich Melchior von Grimm, or from Nuremberg, as claimed by Christian Schubart in his autobiography. The date of Schobert's birth is given variously as about 1720, about 1735, or about 1740. In 1760, Scho... more

Johann Schobert (ca. 1720, 1735 or 1740?  – 28 August 1767) was a composer and harpsichordist. His date and place of birth are disputed. Some sources say he was born in 1735 in Schlesien, Austria; others have him from Silesia, as suggested by Friedrich Melchior von Grimm, or from Nuremberg, as claimed by Christian Schubart in his autobiography. The date of Schobert's birth is given variously as about 1720, about 1735, or about 1740. In 1760, Schobert moved to Paris where he served in the household of Louis François I de Bourbon, prince de Conti. He composed many books of sonatas for his instrument, most of them with an accompanying part for one or more other instruments. Schobert also wrote harpsichord concertos, symphonies and the opéra comique Le Garde-Chasse et le Braconnier. In Paris, Schobert came into contact with Leopold Mozart. Reportedly, Schobert was offended by Mozart's comments that his children played Schobert's works with ease. Nevertheless, Schobert was a significant... less