Anton Eberl

Pianist and composer Eberl may have been a student of Mozart. His first stage work, none of which survive, was praised by Gluck. The compositions by Eberl demonstrate a keen awareness of the Classical medium and easily can be perceived as prototypical Romantic music. A number of Eberl's piano compositions were often attributed to Mozart (Mozart is said to have employed one of these compositions as his own favorite teaching piece). The "Symphony in Eb-dur" was performed with the premiere of Beethoven's "Eroica" and was considered the better. As expressed in his music, Eberl did overcome the influence of his teacher and his "Piano Sonata in G-mol" contained characteristics similar to those qualities found in the later music of Franck, Chopin, and Liszt. ~ Keith Johnson