Altenburg, Johann Ernst

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Altenburg, Johann Ernst

Altenburg, Johann Ernst, German trumpeter, organist, and composer; b. Wiessenfels, June 15, 1734; d. Bitterfeld, May 14, 1801. He studied trumpet with his father, and then organ and composition with Ròmhild in Merseburg. He also studied with Altnikol in Naumburg. From 1757 to 1766 he was a field trumpeter in the French Army, and then was organist in Landsberg. In 1769 he settled in Bitterfeld as organist. He wrote the valuable treatise Versuch einer Anleitung zur heroisch-musikalischen Trompeter-und Paukerkunst (Halle, 1795; Eng. tr., 1974). He composed a Concerto for 7 Trumpets and Kettledrums and pieces for 2, 4, 6, and 8 trumpets.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire