Lorenz Christoph Mizler
Lorenz Christoph Mizler [ de Kolof ] (* July 26, 1711 in Heidenheim ( Middle Franconia ), † May 8, 1778 in Warsaw ) was a German philosophical scholars, writers, doctors, printers, booksellers, music theorist and musicologist. The doctor of philosophy and medicine has a special relevance for Bach research and for the Polish Enlightenment.
Life and work
Youth
Mizler dealt early with ancient authors, the problems of contemporary philosophy and theology, but also the issues of music. Attending school in Ansbach was supplemented by domestic private lessons. Georg Heinrich Bümler, the conductor of the Margrave of Brandenburg -Ansbach and Johann Samuel Ehrmann, choir director at Ansbach, were honored alongside the theorist Johann Mattheson and the practitioner Johann Sebastian Bach as a dedicatee in Mizler Dissertatio (1734 ). Mizler emphasized in his dedicatory text that he had learned the basics of music from his love and best friend Johann Samuel Ehrmann. Johann Matthias Gesner, 1731 Rector of St. Thomas School in Leipzig, was made with his excellent letter of recommendation for mediating a continuation of the music lessons with Johann Sebastian Bach his former Ansbacher students in the new Saxon homeland.
Imprints by Christian Wolff and Johann Sebastian Bach
The 26 -year-old Mizler was met with in Leipzig's cultural lives of great respect. The active here philosophy professor and influential scholar Carl Günther Ludovici admitted him in 1737 a far greater importance in the music as a virtuoso Johann Sebastian Bach. This meant that Mizler life and work have been presented much more extensive than that of his teacher in the editorial of Ludovici 1739 supervised Universal Lexicon. The reasons for this peculiar preference lie in the high value of the Wolffian philosophy, which so far remained mostly unnoticed by the Musicology in considering the Leipzig intellectual life. Mizler had already given early on as a passionate Wolffian and therefore took this prominent position among the leading philosophers of the Enlightenment in the Leipzig area.
About the philosophy of Christian Wolff has been discussed controversially in Ansbach, and Mizler saw in his marked by passion search for truth is no possibility of compromise between the so-called Wolffians and the anti - Wolffians. The main point was the relationship between philosophy and theology. The propagated by Wolff freedom of research and teaching allowed against theological statements a fundamentally critical attitude, which derived Wolff from the primacy of philosophy against theology. Lutheran- Orthodox and Pietist theologians were outraged by the demand to amend this ancient rank and assumed Wolff also an anti-Christian or - with a view to its enthusiasm for Chinese culture - even atheistic attitude. When Bach student of academics was Mizler in the 1730s on an entirely different level of knowledge than the non-academic stream. All of this must have initially worked irritating to the living in the conservative environment Bach. Mizler had already in his dissertation in 1734 by a "perfect musician " demanded that he must be well versed not only in all parts of philosophy, but also a skilled mathematician. In the spirit of that time wrote Mizler spirit, competence enough, the fact that the real connoisseur could explain the rules of his art in a scientific way. However conceded Mizler, such is very difficult to find in music. Maybe it's even come to a temporary distance between the practitioner and the theorist Bach Mizler because of such typical of the Wolffian demands.
The relationship between Bach and Mizler became more intense in the 1740s, because the composer received his former students in 1747 as a good friend and gave him insight into his scores. Mizler had become of major publications on a respected in the music world music theorist, an interesting and competent partner for Bach. This put another positive sign and joined after completing the formalities lasted about a year in 1747, founded by Mizler and based on the philosophy of Wolff Correspondierenden Societät musica metallic Sciences, to which he also unnecessarily could dissociate. This public accession Bach to the law firm of passionate Wolffianers Mizler makes people take notice. The now carefully researched source material enables a new way of looking at the last decade of Bach. Mizler valued for its part, the ratio multiply positively and spoke of Bach as his good friend and patron. The famous Bach - portrait by Elias Gottlob Haussmann was in 1746 by statute made in the preparations of Bach's accession partnership and shows the relevance Mizler as published by him first comprehensive biography of Bach. The importance Mizler for the last decade however, has been evaluated by Bach Bach researchers differently - unfortunately always on the basis of fragmentary evidence on Mizler.
Music Theory rationalism
For a glimpse of the musicological writings Mizler might assume that he rationally detectable considered this art as in all details. This impression of the rigorous rationalism could strengthen by the of him often emphasized mathematical and systematic aspects of music theory. Undoubtedly, the scholars tried to explore as many areas strictly scientific. On closer inspection, however, result in differences, because Mizler certainly saw the secrets of composing that close to a rational penetration. Some statements from the 1730s were marked by youthful zeal or formulated frivolous and misleading. Mizler relativized later published in high spirits remarks and spoke of areas in the music that can not be rationally grasp. On the other hand he wanted to systematize the manageable topics of music theory according to strict principles. Even the contemporaries had Mizler " basso - machine" misunderstood, because that was merely the rational representable teaching concept of general music teaching, including the block model of the so-called Oktavregel be demonstrated.
Activities to promote the music
From the mid -1730s started Mizler at different levels activities to promote the music: He released the 2250 -page journal Musical Library First published 15 individual issues, which were then grouped into four volumes. The different topics of the 111 journal articles are an important musicological source dar. 1738 founded Mizler the Correspondierende Societät musica metallic sciences, exchanged as a virtual community only by circular letter. Among the founders were Giacomo de Lucchesini († 1739 ) and Georg Heinrich Bümler ( 1669-1745 ). Well-known composers such as Handel, Telemann, Stolzel, Graun and Bach were members of this until at least 1761 existing society. The expected efficiency of the association, however, remained in spite of the intense exchanges far below expectations Mizler. Firm Internal conflicts, in particular the Property of Telemann special theories to the sound system, weakened the cohesion of the members, so that the meaning of the law firm declined over time, especially since they had to still deal with financial problems. To make matters worse, that Mizler had moved his residence to Końskie 1743 in southern Poland and increasingly shifted his interest when he moved to Warsaw in 1749 to other areas.
Mizler devoted addition to his work for the firm fundamental work on the theory of music. He published a basso - teaching, in which he systematically represented principles of contemporary music theory. The major textbook on counterpoint from Johann Joseph Fux Gradus ad Parnassum ( Latin original 1725), which was considered a standard work for subsequent composers to Paul Hindemith, published 1742 in German translation Mizler.
As a composer Mizler has only a marginal importance. Often his much-discussed Odenkompositionen were abused to discredit his controversial ideals. These small Tonsatzarbeiten but are intended solely as examples and practice pieces to Mizler music theory.
Work in Poland 1743
In his second half of life Mizler was appointed Royal Polish Councillor and Hofmedicus and entered both as a doctor of philosophy and medicine in appearance. In Poland, he devoted himself intensively to the first medical profession. But became more and more important his desire to influence the literary life. One of his pioneering work was the first establishment of a printing house in Warsaw, which was not formally dependent on the clergy. Here he began the operation in 1756 and produced approximately 150 publications. He worked as a writer, bookseller, printer, librarian, publisher of journals and of Polish literature. In particular, he published as a historian of the Kingdom of Poland extensive folios with a total of over 4000 pages. Furthermore, the Polish-language edition of Johann Christoph Gottscheds first reasons the whole world wisdom is emphasized. The editorial significantly contributed to his magazine monitor was produced in the years 1765-1777 in his print shop with a circumference of more than 10,000 pages. Both Gottscheds work and the monitor were important for the development of the Polish Enlightenment. By law, Mizler could be described as one of the first " apostle of the Wolffian philosophy." For his services Mizler were awarded by the Polish government, the nobility title " de Kolof " and the King Stanisław August Poniatowski, the special medal of honor Merentibus.
Philosophical self-
It would be misleading to provide Mizler as a musician with other stream students on the same level. The young scholar called himself rather as a philosopher. His musicological lectures, which he linked to the Philosophical Faculty of the University of Leipzig with philosophical and theological issues, apply within at this time not yet established university musicology as pioneering. As an independent philosophical author Mizler is however not emerged appreciably, because he lived like many contemporary scholars before Kant in the hope that the demonstrative method Wolff had found a perfect system to solve the diverse problems. Now it would only serve to ensure that Wolff's "apostle" the truth of this philosophy spread and apply in practice for the benefit of society. Truth was understood as a scientific statement that could withstand a rigorous logical examination. Mizler teacher Johann Christoph Gottsched defined philosophy (World Wisdom) as " a science of happiness ." Even in his last years Mizler stressed the importance of the arts and sciences, " which everything to the true temporal happiness with beytragen ". Considering that it had Mizler in this sense primarily as a philosopher, it is not surprising that he always emphatically pointed out that the music was only his second job. In music, but this philosophy find their specific application.
Mizler position within the Wolffian
In his effort to reintegrate the ancient philosophy of music in the encyclopedic -university thinking is Mizler embarked on a tightrope. Unmistakably the Pythagorean thinking in the context of the discussions about Sigmund Ferdinand Weißmüller with leading scholars such as Carl Günther Ludovici Leipzig had been discredited. That may be the reason why one saw Mizler prefer in Poland, and not as a lecturer at the University of Leipzig. Mizler had laid down his lecture concept in 1742, a year before his departure to Poland. It was disputed whether the traditionally be regarded as part of the liberal arts belonging to the philosophical encyclopaedia music even in the 18th century as a philosophical science. Mizler had clearly affirmed this question already in his dissertation in 1734 and even more so in the second edition in 1736 and having to endure the criticism Ludovici, but the Mizler recorded yet joined the ranks of the Wolffian. His interest in contemporary mathematics showed Mizler in the discussion of Euler's music treatise Tentamen novae theoriae musicae ( 1739 ). Mizler could quite keep up with the level of Euler's mathematical thinking music. Wolff commented repeatedly praised Mizler musical competence. In particular, the philosopher was happy that his opponent Euler had been unmasked by Mizler in his musical incompetence. Also Gottsched spoke with exuberant praise of his former students. So Mizler enjoyed as a scholar with a focus on music theory with the influential Wolffians an excellent reputation.