Erlebach Philipp Heinrich, baptised 25 July 1657 Essens (East Frisia), †17 April 1714 Rudolstadt, German composer. From 1679, he was a member of the court orchestra [Hofkapelle] in Rudolstadt, and in 1681 he became its Kapellmeister.
His contemporaries mainly appreciated Erlebach’s instrumental works, recognising in them the French style favoured at the time, modelled on the music of Lully. Later scholars have emphasised the significance of Erlebach’s arias in the development of a distinctive German song style.
Literature: A. Einstein Zur deutschen Literatur für Viola da Gamba im 16. und 17. Jahrhundert Leipzig 1905; E. Schmitz Geschichte der weltlichen Solokantate, Leipzig 1914, 2nd edition 1955; E. Bücken Das deutsche Lied, Hamburg 1939.
Compositions:
6 Ouvertures (…) nach französischer Art und Manier eingerichtet, for 5–6 instruments, Nuremberg 1693
6 Sonate…, violin, viola da gamba (or two violins) and basso continuo, Nuremberg 1694
Harmonische Freude musicalischer Freunde…, part 1: 50 arias accompanied by two violins and basso continuo, Nuremberg 1697, 2nd ed. 1710, Part 2: 25 arias accompanied by various instruments and basso continuo, Nuremberg 1710
Gott-geheiligte Sing-Stunde…, 12 arias for 1–4 voices, accompanied by 2 violins and basso continuo, Rudolstadt 1704
manuscripts:
ca. 25 cantatas, mainly to German texts (2 with Latin text), Kyrie et Gloria, Gratias agimus, 1–5 voices accompanied by instruments and basso continuo, manuscripts preserved in Berlin, Mühlhausen and Strasbourg
2 a cappella motets for 4 and 6 voices, manuscript (kept in the library of the University of Königsberg until the Second World War)
several pieces in Eckelt’s organ tablature (manuscript copied ca. 1692 in Wernigerode)
Furthermore, the Rudolstadt catalogue of musical works (compiled around 1700) lists numerous works by Erlebach, including operas, ballets, oratorios, and secular and sacred cantatas, none of which have survived.
Editions:
Harmonische Freude…, parts 1 and 2, eds. O. Kinkeldey and O. Schmidt, «Denkmäler Deutscher Tonkunst» XLVI/XLVII, 1914
2 motets ed. M. Seiffert, «Denkmäler Deutscher Tonkunst» XLIX/L, 1915
2 chamber suites from 6 Ouvertures, ed. M. Seiffert, «Organum» III Nos. 15 and 16
3 sonatas, published individually by M. Seiffert, «Organum» III No. 5, and also by F. Zobeley, «Hortus Musicus» Nos. 117 and 118
3 cantatas published individually by O. v. Steuber in Geistliche Chormusik I, Stuttgart 1960, in addition, a separate edition Kassel 1960 and L. Hoffmann-Erbrecht, «Organum» I No. 33
