Gustav Schreck

Gustav Ernst Schreck (born 8 September 1849 in Zeulenroda; died 22 January 1918 in Leipzig) was a German music teacher, composer and choirmaster of St. Thomas School, Thomasschule zu Leipzig, in Leipzig from 1893 to 1918. Life Schreck was born in 1849, the son of a hosier, which was at that time a usual profession in the region of Vogtland where his family lived. The children were required to actively contribute to the maintenance of the family household. The monotonous activity was interspersed with singing while performing works in the Schreck home. The musical abilities of the young Gustav were encouraged by early piano lessons. From 1863 to 1867 he attended the teacher training college in Greiz and was a member of the student choir. Upon completion of training, he worked temporarily as a village schoolmaster in Gommla and Remptendorf, Germany. In 1868 he moved to Leipzig to study music and other subjects at the Conservatory in that city with the Thomas cantor Ernst Friedrich Richter. In 1870, the 21-year old joined his brother in Vyborg, Finland, where he taught music at the German School for four years. He returned to Leipzig in 1874 and took up work as a freelance composer an