Johannes Gelbke

Johannes Woldemar Gelbke (19 July 1846 – 1 March 1903) was a German composer, choir lieder, conductor and singer He became known especially in Germany for his song Horch! Die alten Eichen rauschen… (“Heimkehr”). He also worked as a composer, conductor, choirmaster and singer in the US, where he lived and worked from 1882. Life Gelbke was born in Radeberg. Father Ernst Ludwig Gelbke (1812 Radeberg - unknown) was “veterinarian and company blacksmith in the local Königl. Sächs. Brigade Reiter Artillerie” in the Radeberg garrison. quickly recognised the boy’s musical abilities, introduced him to the ecclesiastical Tonkunst and gave him lessons in music theory. Already here, the young Gelbke composed songs and church choir. No specific information is available about his numerous compositions from 1882 onwards in Buffalo. The home of Gelbke’s choral society “Orpheus”, the “New Music Hall Buffalo”, burned down in March 1885, whereupon Gelbke handed over the direction of the choir to Carl Adam in November 1885. Gelbke was the conductor of the Buffalo Sängerbund for several years and also conducted the Central Sängerbund, which was made up of 12 regional choral societies, the Mendelssohn