Born in Vienna in 1765. His father initially intended for him to pursue a career in law, but due to the family's financial circumstances, he was permitted to become a musician. His musical talent emerged early; he showcased his skills at a private concert at the tender age of eight, made his public concert debut at eighteen, and by the age of twenty-two, staged his first Singspiel (a German musical drama with spoken dialogue), earning praise even from Gluck, who was then revered by many musicians, including Mozart and Salieri, as an opera composer. Considering this career, it would have been a great loss for Vienna at the time if he had become a lawyer. As was common for musicians of his era, Eberl appears to have expanded his reputation through international activities. During two concert tours to Germany, he performed with Meyerbeer, and during his stays in Russia from 1796–99 and 1801–1802, he worked as a musician attached to the Russian Imperial Court and also held the position of Kapellmeister. After returning to Vienna, he composed not only piano works but also other instrumental pieces, receiving high acclaim. Particularly noteworthy is his Symphony in E-flat major, Op. 33.According to reports, this work was performed in the same concert series as the semi-public premiere of Beethoven's 'Eroica' Symphony (a 1991 essay by Schloenings suggests Eberl's work was performed a week later), and in contrast to the rather harsh review of 'Eroica' in a Leipzig newspaper, Eberl's work received favorable high praise.Alongside these compositional activities, he also continued his work as a piano performer, and contemporary music criticism reported on Eberl's performances (he also collaborated with Josepha Auernhammer, a pupil of Mozart and a female pianist and composer). It should be noted that many of Eberl's early piano works were published under Mozart's name (and incorrect information persisted even into the 20th century). Eberl himself reportedly tried to correct these errors in letters, so the responsibility must lie with the publishers. Nevertheless, Eberl seems to have been close to the Mozart family; it is suggested that he may have studied with Mozart, and Constanze's sisters reportedly accompanied Eberl on his concert tours. The fact that his works were published under Mozart's name and confused with Mozart's even in later generations indicates a strong Mozartian influence in his early works; however, viewed differently, it also suggests that his works were of a quality high enough to be mistaken for Mozart's. Indeed, contemporary newspaper reviews contain praise for his works, and it is also said that his contemporaries regarded him as equal to Beethoven. While the majority of Eberl's extant works are for piano, as can be inferred from the favorable reception of his symphony mentioned earlier, the high regard of his contemporaries was by no means limited to his keyboard works. In particular, he seems to have been recognized among his contemporaries as an excellent composer of stage music, and it is truly regrettable that only eight of his stage works survive today.