Christian Benjamin Uber (20 September 1746 – 1812) was a German
jurist
A jurist is a person with expert knowledge of law; someone who analyses and comments on law. This person is usually a specialist legal scholar, mostly (but not always) with a formal qualification in law and often a legal practitioner. In the Un ...
,
composer and lover of music.
Professionally, he served as a high government official in his native
Breslau (modern Wrocław) for much of his career. He studied music with
Daniel Gottlob Türk
Daniel Gottlob Türk (10 August 1750 – 26 August 1813) was a German composer, organist, and music professor of the Classical period.
Biography
Born in Claußnitz, Saxony, Türk studied organ under his father and later under Johann Adam Hill ...
, and was known as a talented amateur musician who regularly organized music evenings at his house. Among the works he composed were a
Singspiel, a
cantata, an ode, several
divertimenti
''Divertimento'' (; from the Italian '' divertire'' "to amuse") is a musical genre, with most of its examples from the 18th century. The mood of the ''divertimento'' is most often lighthearted (as a result of being played at social functions) and ...
for
chamber orchestra, and a
sonata
Sonata (; Italian: , pl. ''sonate''; from Latin and Italian: ''sonare'' rchaic Italian; replaced in the modern language by ''suonare'' "to sound"), in music, literally means a piece ''played'' as opposed to a cantata (Latin and Italian ''cant ...
and some trios for
harpsichord
A harpsichord ( it, clavicembalo; french: clavecin; german: Cembalo; es, clavecín; pt, cravo; nl, klavecimbel; pl, klawesyn) is a musical instrument played by means of a musical keyboard, keyboard. This activates a row of levers that turn a ...
.
Uber was responsible for much development of Breslau's musical life. His son
Hermann became a composer and musician; another son,
Alexander
Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...
, made his name as a
cello
The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a Bow (music), bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), t ...
virtuoso
A virtuoso (from Italian ''virtuoso'' or , "virtuous", Late Latin ''virtuosus'', Latin ''virtus'', "virtue", "excellence" or "skill") is an individual who possesses outstanding talent and technical ability in a particular art or field such as ...
. Uber died in Breslau in 1812.
1746 births
1812 deaths
18th-century German lawyers
German male composers
German composers
Musicians from Wrocław
Lawyers from Wrocław
{{Germany-musician-stub