Friedrich Wilhelm Berner

Friedrich Wilhelm Berner (16 March 1780 – 9 May 1827)[1] was a German organist, composer, teacher and writer on music theory.

His father Johann Georg Berner, the organist of St Elizabeth's Church there, gave him early music lessons, and aged thirteen Friedrich was appointed his assistant.

[1][2][3] Carl Maria von Weber arrived in Breslau in 1804 to take the post of music director at the theatre, and they had a friendly relationship.

[1][3] In 1811 Berner and Josef Schnabel were sent to Berlin by Carl Friedrich Zelter to assess the Singakademie, with the view of establishing similar institutions in Breslau and the rest of Silesia.

He was music director at the university, principal organist at St Elizabeth's Church, and was teacher and co-director with Josef Schnabel of the newly founded Royal Academic Institute for Church Music, which was connected to the university and under Carl von Winterfeld's supervision.