Johann Ernst Eberlin

Johann Ernst Eberlin (March 27 1702 – June 19 1762) was a German composer and organist whose works bridge the baroque and classical eras. He was a prolific composer, chiefly of church organ and choral music.

His first musical training started in 1712 at the High School of the Jesuiten pc. Salvator in Augsburg. His teachers there were Georg Egger and Balthasar Siberer (who taught him how to play the organ). He started his university education in 1721 at the Benediktiner medal in Salzburg where he studied law. He dropped out of university in 1723.

His first breakthrough was in 1727 when he became the organist for Count Leopold von Firmian (then Archbishop of Salzburg). He reached the peak of his career when he was the organist for Archbishop Andreas Jakob von Dietrichstein.

He also composed and played at church concerts. His contemporaries were Leopold Mozart and Anton Cajetan Adlgasser.