Ernest Sauter (1928-2010) was a German composer. After his classical music education in Leipzig (at the Thomas-Schule and with Felix Petyrek), as well as in Munich (privately with Rudolf Hindemith), he achieved an excellent reputation as a composer of new ballets (e.g. "Till Eulenspiegel", 1984). 

In his chosen domicile in the south of France, Sauter founded the festival "Musique d'été à Suzette", which has mastered the transmission of both classical and contemporary chamber music. During this period Ernest Sauter developed a deep creative attachment to the genre of string trio, which led to the composition of three string trios (1999, 2001 and 2007) in the last years of his life. These works were all premiered and recorded on CD (see "audio samples") by the renowned "DEUTSCHES STREICHTRIO" - to whom they are also dedicated.