Aiblinger was born in
Wasserburg am Inn,
Bavaria. In his eleventh year, he commenced his studies at
Tegernsee Abbey, where he was instructed in piano and organ-playing. Four years later, he entered the gymnasium at Munich, where he studied under Professor Schlett, his countryman. In 1800 he began his studies at the
University of Landshut. Inwardly drawn to the
Catholic Church, he completed his study of philosophy and began that of theology, but the secularization of many religious orders in Bavaria prevented his entrance into a cloister. He now devoted himself solely to music. Led by the then prevailing idea that without a visit to Italy no musical education is complete, he turned his footsteps southward. After a stay of eight years at
Vicenza, where he fell under the influence of his countryman
Johann Simon Mayr, Aiblinger (1811) went to
Venice and there met
Meyerbeer, who procured for him an appointment at the Conservatory. His failure to establish a school for classical music led him to
Milan to assume the direction of the local ballet. On his return to Bavaria, King
Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria invited him to Munich to direct the Italian opera. King
Ludwig I of Bavaria appointed him director of the royal orchestra, and sent him to Italy to collect old Italian masterpieces. On his return he became the organist at the
Allerheiligen-Hofkirche, the church of All Saints, for which he wrote many compositions. In 1864 he resigned from All Saints, on account of advancing years. He died in
Munich. == Works ==