Werba was born in
Baden bei Wien, the son of Ludwig Werba (1884–1945), who was born in
Graz and became a composer, music director and vice-president of the
Österreichisch-ungarischer Musikerverband, founded in 1896. Ludwig Werba died in a bombing raid on 2 April 1945. Werba completed the
Matura at the Baden
Gymnasium in 1936. He then studied at both the
Akademie für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna and the
University of Vienna, where he earned a PhD in 1940. He worked as a music critic and teacher, and directed the
Mozartgemeinde after World War II. Werba was
Kapellmeister at the from 1945 to 1946. As a pianist, he focused on accompanying
lieder singers.
Brigitte Fassbaender, He was more successful as a journalist, working for the newsletters of the Mozartgemeinde, the
Wiener Figaro, the
Österreichische Musikzeitschrift and the periodical
Musikerziehung. As a composer, he wrote incidental music, chamber music and lieder, often performed during his lifetime. Werba died on 9 April 1992 in
Hinterbrühl. He is buried at the
Maria Enzersdorf cemetery. == Compositions ==