Gerbert, Martin

Gerbert, Martin baron of Hornau and Benedictine abbot of St. Blasien, one of the most learned Roman Catholic prelates of the last century, was born at Horb, on the Neckar, August 13, 1720. He was educated at the Jesuits' college in Freiburg, and at the cloister of St. Blasien, where he became priest in 1744, and abbot in 1764. He enlarged his mind by travel and varied culture, and his works bear every mark of industry and learning. He died May 3, 1793. His principal works are Historia nigrae sylvae ord. St. Benedicti (Colon. 1783-88, 3 volumes, 4to): — Principia theologiae (St. Blasien, 1757 -59, 7 volumes): — Theologia Vetus et Nova circa Praesentiam Christi in Eucharistia (Freiburg, 1756, 12mo): — Monumenta Veteris Liturgiae Alemannicae, ex antiquis MASS. collecta et digesta (St. Blasien, 1777-79, 4to): — De Cantu et Musica Sacra a prima Ecclesie AEtate usque ad presens Tempus (1774, 2 volumes). Gerbert divided his history of church music into three parts: the first ends at the pontificate of St. Gregory; the second goes as far as the fifteenth century; and the third to his own time. In 1784 he published a work of more importance, under the title of Scriptores Ecclesiastici de Musica Sacra, potissisnum ex variis Italiae, Galliae, et Germaniae Codicibus collecti (3 volumes, 4to). This is a collection of all the ancient authors who have written on music, from the 3d century to the invention of printing, and whose works had remained in manuscript. — Herzog, Real-Encyklop. 5:33; Hook, Eccles. Biog. volume 5; Choron, Dictionnaire des Musiciens; Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, 20:198 sq.