Christoph Sonnleithner (28/05/1734 - 25/12/1786), an Hungarian-Austrian jurist and composer, born in Szeged, Hungary; died in Vienna). Instrumental and church composer, pupil of Pirk, who also had instructed the Emperor Joseph H. ; that monarch afterwards conceived a special liking for Sounleithner's chamber music, and had his quartets played to him regularly. By profession he was a lawyer, distinguished as such, and also as a writer on jurisprudence. Works : Masses, Requiems, gradu- als, offertories, and other church music ; Symphonies, concertos, 36 quartets, composed for Joseph H., trios, etc. Only 3 quartets for strings were published (Vienna, 1803).