A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Perabo, Ernst

PERABO, Ernst, born at Wiesbaden, Nov. 14, 1845, one of 10 children, all followers of music. His talent showed itself very early, and when only nine he is said to have played Bach's 'Well-tempered Clavier' by heart. In 1852 his parents took him to New York, and after a time arrangements were made to send him back to Germany for education. He left the United States Sept. 1, 1858, and after nearly four years at Hamburg entered the Leipzig Conservatorium Oct. 22, 1862. After going successfully through the course there under Moscheles, Richter, etc., he returned to New York in Nov. 1865, and after some hesitation settled at Boston, where he is well known and much esteemed as a teacher, a pianoforte player, and a composer and arranger of music for that instrument. He plays at the Harvard Musical Association, and at recitals of his own. His repertoire is good and wide, and his style of playing is highly spoken of. Amongst other things he has played the whole of Schubert's PF. Sonatas in public. His compositions embrace a Scherzo, op. 2, an Introduction and Andante, op. 45, and 3 Studies, op. 9.

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