[Im Anfang war's auf Erden]

Composer: Johann André

Johann André, born at Offenbach, Hesse, March 28, 1741, died there, Jun 18, 1799. Dramatic composer. His father, a silk manufacturer, intended him for the same business, but his love of music was too strong. He received lessons on the violin from a friend studying at Frankfort, and mastered the harpsichord without a teacher. He soon began composing, writing at rist only fugitive pieces, but on visiting Frankfort in 1760 he heard operas, and this gave a new impulse to his taste. After the production of his first comic opera, Der Topfer, Goethe confided to him his operetta Erwin und Elmire, which was given in 1764 with great success, and afterwards in Berlin twenty-two times in 1782. In 1774 he established at Offenbach a prinint office for m… Go to person page >