A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Schroeter, Christoph

SCHROETER, Christoph Gottlieb, born at Hohenstein, Saxony, Aug. 10, 1699, long enjoyed in Germany the honour of having invented the pianoforte. His claims, first published by himself in Mitzler's 'Musikalische Bibliotek' (Leipzig, 1738) and repeated in Marpurg's 'Kritsche Briefe' (Berlin 1764) have been examined and set aside in favour of Cristofori. [See Pianoforte, vol. ii. p. 712.] We learn from Schroeter's autobiography that at seven years of age he was placed as a chorister at Dresden, under Kapellmeister Schmidt, and that Graun was his companion. The clavichord early became his greatest pleasure. When he lost his voice he entered the Kreuz-schule to study thorough-bass, that is, accompaniment as then practised, and learned to quill and tune harpsichords, which led him to the monochord and systems of temperament. On the wish of his mother that he should study theology, he went to Leipzig for that purpose in 1717, but after her death resumed music, returned to Dresden, and was accepted by Lotti to copy for him, and write his middle parts. It was at this time that he endeavoured to combine the characteristics of the harpsichord and clavichord, by inventing two hammer actions, the models of which he deposited at the Saxon Court in 1721; but immediately afterwards he left Dresden, taking service with a Baron whom he does not name, to travel in Germany, Holland, and England. In 1724 he went to the University of Jena and began writing upon musical subjects; in 1726 he took the organist's place at Minden, removing in 1732 to Nordhausen, where he remained until his death in 1782. A complete list of his numerous writings is to be found in Gerber's Lexicon der Tonkünstler (Leipzig, 1792), ii. 454–5.

[ A. J. H. ]