[1] Based on his musical abilities, Erlebach was lent to the court of Prince Albrecht Anton of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1641–1710), count of the larger principality of Thuringia, in 1678.
In 1681, he was appointed to the post of Kapellmeister to the Thuringian Court, a position he held for 33 years, until his death, aged 56, in Rudolstadt.
[1] Erlebach's compositions include orchestral and chamber music, operas, cantatas, masses and oratorios.
He was a prolific composer, but most of his works (over 1000 compositions), which had been acquired by the court from Erlebach's widow after his death, were destroyed in 1735 during a fire in Rudolstadt.
The destroyed material also included 24 masses and at least six complete cycles of cantatas for the Lutheran church year.