Willi Apel
Encyclopedia
Willi Apel was a German-American musicologist.
Apel was born in Konitz
, West Prussia
. He studied mathematics from 1912 to 1914, and then again after World War I
from 1918 to 1922, in various universities in Weimar Germany
. Throughout his studies, he had an interest in music and taught piano lessons. He then turned to music full time, and essentially taught himself about musicology. He received his Ph.D. in 1936 in Berlin
(with a dissertation on 15th and 16th century tonality) and immigrated to the USA the same year. He taught at Harvard
from 1938 to 1942, but moved on to spend twenty years at Indiana University
beginning in 1950. Apel died in Bloomington, Indiana
.
Apel's work of the 1940s included books of broad scope, such as the Harvard Dictionary of Music
(1944), which he edited, and Historical Anthology of Music (1949, co-authored with Archibald Thompson Davison
). His approach was to give as much attention to Medieval, Renaissance and world music as was given to familiar subjects such as Mozart
and Beethoven
; this influenced the higher music education in the USA. His book on the notation
of early polyphonic music was also written in the 1940s, and still serves as one of the essential works on the subject.
In 1950 Apel's interest in early polyphonic notation resulted in an important edition, French Secular Music of the Late Fourteenth Century. In 1958 he published a large work on plainchant, which provided a comprehensive guide of the repertoire and its sources. In early 1960s he founded the Corpus of Early Keyboard Music (CEKM), a series of editions devoted to early keyboard music. Over the years, CEKM presented the music of less known composers such as Johann Ulrich Steigleder
, Bernardo Storace
, Peeter Cornet
, and others, and also included modern editions of various important manuscripts such as the 16th century Jan z Lublina
tablature
. Apel was the general editor for CEKM and edited a total of ten volumes; his pupils provided dozens more.
1967 saw the publication of Geschichte der Orgel- und Klaviermusik, a large work on the history of keyboard music. An English translation (by Hans Tischler) appeared in 1972. Apel's last book was a collection of essays from 1973–81, all dedicated to Italian violin music of the 17th century. Apel died in 1988 in Bloomington, Indiana.
Apel was born in Konitz
Chojnice
Chojnice is a town in northern Poland with 39 670 inhabitants , near famous Tuchola Forest, Lake Charzykowskie and many other water reservoirs. It is the capital of the Chojnice County....
, West Prussia
West Prussia
West Prussia was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1773–1824 and 1878–1919/20 which was created out of the earlier Polish province of Royal Prussia...
. He studied mathematics from 1912 to 1914, and then again after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
from 1918 to 1922, in various universities in Weimar Germany
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
. Throughout his studies, he had an interest in music and taught piano lessons. He then turned to music full time, and essentially taught himself about musicology. He received his Ph.D. in 1936 in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
(with a dissertation on 15th and 16th century tonality) and immigrated to the USA the same year. He taught at Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
from 1938 to 1942, but moved on to spend twenty years at Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
beginning in 1950. Apel died in Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the southern region of the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 80,405 at the 2010 census....
.
Apel's work of the 1940s included books of broad scope, such as the Harvard Dictionary of Music
Harvard Dictionary of Music
The Harvard Dictionary of Music is a standard music reference book published by the Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.The first edition was published in 1944, and was edited by Willi Apel. The second edition, also edited by Apel, was published in 1969. A new editor, Don Michael Randel,...
(1944), which he edited, and Historical Anthology of Music (1949, co-authored with Archibald Thompson Davison
Archibald Thompson Davison
Archibald Thompson Davison was an American musicologist, conductor, composer and music educator.Davison was born in Boston, Massachusetts...
). His approach was to give as much attention to Medieval, Renaissance and world music as was given to familiar subjects such as Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
and Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
; this influenced the higher music education in the USA. His book on the notation
Musical notation
Music notation or musical notation is any system that represents aurally perceived music, through the use of written symbols.-History:...
of early polyphonic music was also written in the 1940s, and still serves as one of the essential works on the subject.
In 1950 Apel's interest in early polyphonic notation resulted in an important edition, French Secular Music of the Late Fourteenth Century. In 1958 he published a large work on plainchant, which provided a comprehensive guide of the repertoire and its sources. In early 1960s he founded the Corpus of Early Keyboard Music (CEKM), a series of editions devoted to early keyboard music. Over the years, CEKM presented the music of less known composers such as Johann Ulrich Steigleder
Johann Ulrich Steigleder
Johann Ulrich Steigleder was a German Baroque composer and organist. He was the most celebrated member of the Steigleder family, which also included Adam Steigleder , his father, and Utz Steigleder , his grandfather.Steigleder was born in Schwäbisch Hall on 22 March 1593...
, Bernardo Storace
Bernardo Storace
Bernardo Storace was an Italian composer. Almost nothing is known about his life; his only surviving collection of music contains numerous variation sets and represents a transitory stage between the time of Girolamo Frescobaldi and that of Bernardo Pasquini.-Life:Very little is known about his...
, Peeter Cornet
Peeter Cornet
Peeter Cornet was a Flemish composer and organist of the early Baroque period. Although few of his compositions survive, he is widely considered one of the best keyboard composers of the early 17th century.-Life:Very little is known about Cornet's life. Much of the information comes from a letter...
, and others, and also included modern editions of various important manuscripts such as the 16th century Jan z Lublina
Jan z Lublina
Jan z Lublina, or Joannis de Lublin, was a Polish composer and organist who lived in the first half of the 16th century. Not much is known about his life - he was a member of the Order of Canons Regular of the Lateran, circa 1540 he was possibly the organist at the convent in Kraśnik, near Lublin...
tablature
Tablature
Tablature is a form of musical notation indicating instrument fingering rather than musical pitches....
. Apel was the general editor for CEKM and edited a total of ten volumes; his pupils provided dozens more.
1967 saw the publication of Geschichte der Orgel- und Klaviermusik, a large work on the history of keyboard music. An English translation (by Hans Tischler) appeared in 1972. Apel's last book was a collection of essays from 1973–81, all dedicated to Italian violin music of the 17th century. Apel died in 1988 in Bloomington, Indiana.
Major works
- The Notation of Polyphonic Music 900–1600 (1942)
- Harvard Dictionary of Music (1944) (editor)
- Masters of Keyboard (1947)
- The Historical Anthology of Music Volume I: Oriental, Medieval and Renaissance Music, (1949) (with Davison)
- The Historical Anthology of Music Volume II: Baroque, Rococo and Pre-Classical Music, (1950) (with Davison)
- Gregorian Chant (1958)
- The History of Keyboard Music to 1700 (1967, English edition published 1972)
- Italian Violin Music of the Seventeenth Century (1983, English edition published 1990
External links
- Willi Apel page at the Indiana University website, includes a comprehensive list of Apel's writings.
- Corpus of Early Keyboard Music (CEKM) current catalog