Werner Neumann
Encyclopedia
Werner Neumann was a German musicologist. He founded the Bach-Archiv Leipzig
on 20 November 1950 and was a principal editor of the Neue Bach-Ausgabe
, the second edition of the complete works of Johann Sebastian Bach
.
from 1928 to 1933, besides Musicology also Philosophy, Psychology and Romance studies
. He wrote his thesis in 1938 on Bach's choral fugue, "J. S. Bachs Chorfuge. Ein Beitrag zur Kompositionstechnik Bachs". He worked as a teacher from 1934 to 1940 and served the military for five years. From 1945 to 1950 he worked as a freelance teacher, writer on music and teacher at the Musikhochschule Leipzig.
After the Deutsche Bachfeier 1950, the bicentennial of Bach, he founded the Bach-Archiv Leipzig
for documentation and research, which he presided until 1973, achieving international recognition.
From 1953 to 1974 Neumann was, together with Alfred Dürr
, editor of the Bach-Jahrbuch (Bach almanach), writing several contributions himself. He started in 1951 to lead the East German section of the Neue Bach-Ausgabe
, the second complete edition of Bach's works, whereas Dürr was the director of the West German section. Neumann added several volumes of cantata
s to the project.
In 1974 Neumann became a member of the Sächsische Akademie der Wissenschaften, the Saxonian Academy of Sciences
.
Neumann wrote liner notes, articles for magazines, reviews, essays, music editions.
Bach-Archiv Leipzig
The Bach-Archiv Leipzig or Bach-Archiv is the institution for the documentation and research of life and work of Johann Sebastian Bach in Leipzig, where Bach lived from 1723 until his death. Topic of research is also the Bach family, especially their music...
on 20 November 1950 and was a principal editor of the Neue Bach-Ausgabe
Neue Bach-Ausgabe
The Neue Bach-Ausgabe is the second complete edition of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, published by Bärenreiter. The name is short for Johann Sebastian Bach: Neue Ausgabe sämtlicher Werke...
, the second edition of the complete works of Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
.
Professional career
Neumann studied at the Conservatory of Leipzig from 1928 to 1930, and at the University of LeipzigUniversity of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
from 1928 to 1933, besides Musicology also Philosophy, Psychology and Romance studies
Romance studies
Romance studies is an umbrella academic discipline that covers the study of the languages, literatures, and cultures of areas that speak a Romance language. Romance studies departments usually include the study of Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese...
. He wrote his thesis in 1938 on Bach's choral fugue, "J. S. Bachs Chorfuge. Ein Beitrag zur Kompositionstechnik Bachs". He worked as a teacher from 1934 to 1940 and served the military for five years. From 1945 to 1950 he worked as a freelance teacher, writer on music and teacher at the Musikhochschule Leipzig.
After the Deutsche Bachfeier 1950, the bicentennial of Bach, he founded the Bach-Archiv Leipzig
Bach-Archiv Leipzig
The Bach-Archiv Leipzig or Bach-Archiv is the institution for the documentation and research of life and work of Johann Sebastian Bach in Leipzig, where Bach lived from 1723 until his death. Topic of research is also the Bach family, especially their music...
for documentation and research, which he presided until 1973, achieving international recognition.
From 1953 to 1974 Neumann was, together with Alfred Dürr
Alfred Dürr
Alfred Dürr was a German musicologist. He was a principal editor of the Neue Bach-Ausgabe, the second edition of the complete works of Johann Sebastian Bach.- Professional career :...
, editor of the Bach-Jahrbuch (Bach almanach), writing several contributions himself. He started in 1951 to lead the East German section of the Neue Bach-Ausgabe
Neue Bach-Ausgabe
The Neue Bach-Ausgabe is the second complete edition of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, published by Bärenreiter. The name is short for Johann Sebastian Bach: Neue Ausgabe sämtlicher Werke...
, the second complete edition of Bach's works, whereas Dürr was the director of the West German section. Neumann added several volumes of cantata
Bach cantata
Bach cantata became a term for a cantata of the German Baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach who was a prolific writer of the genre. Although many of his works are lost, around 200 cantatas survived....
s to the project.
In 1974 Neumann became a member of the Sächsische Akademie der Wissenschaften, the Saxonian Academy of Sciences
Academy of Sciences
An Academy of Sciences is a national academy or another learned society dedicated to sciences.In non-English speaking countries, the range of academic fields of the members of a national Academy of Science often includes fields which would not normally be classed as "science" in English...
.
Awards
- 1954 Title "Professor" in recognition of his research of Bach and his merits as the director of the Bach-Archiv Leipzig
- 1968 Vaterländischer Verdienstorden in Bronze
- 1973 National Prize of East GermanyNational Prize of East GermanyThe National Prize of the German Democratic Republic was an award of the German Democratic Republic given out in three different classes for scientific, artistic, and other meritorious achievement...
- 1981 Vaterländischer Verdienstorden in Silver
Selected publications
- Johann Sebastian Bachs Chorfuge, 1938, 1950
- Handbuch der Kantaten J. S. Bachs, 1947 (Handbook of the Bach cantataBach cantataBach cantata became a term for a cantata of the German Baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach who was a prolific writer of the genre. Although many of his works are lost, around 200 cantatas survived....
s) - Katechismus der Musik (Lobe-Neumann), 1949
- Auf den Lebenswegen J. S. Bachs, 1953
- J. S. Bachs sämtliche Kantantentexte, 1956, 1967 (complete texts of the Bach cantatas)
- Bach-Dokumente, volume 1–4 (Neumann-Schulze), 1963 to 1979
- Bach, Eine Bildbiographie (Bach and His World (Pictorial Biography)), 1961
- Das kleine Bachbuch, 1971 and 1985
- Sämtliche von J. S. Bach vertonte Texte, 1974 (complete texts composed by Bach)
- Neue Bach-AusgabeNeue Bach-AusgabeThe Neue Bach-Ausgabe is the second complete edition of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, published by Bärenreiter. The name is short for Johann Sebastian Bach: Neue Ausgabe sämtlicher Werke...
, 1954 to 1969 (cantatas' music volumes and critical reviews) - Faksimile-Reihe Bachscher Werke und Schriftstücke (facsimileFacsimileA facsimile is a copy or reproduction of an old book, manuscript, map, art print, or other item of historical value that is as true to the original source as possible. It differs from other forms of reproduction by attempting to replicate the source as accurately as possible in terms of scale,...
s of Bach's works and documents)
Neumann wrote liner notes, articles for magazines, reviews, essays, music editions.