Paul Steinitz
Paul Steinitz ( born August 25, 1909 in Chichester, † 21 April 1988, in Oxhey, Surrey ) is one of the pioneers of historical performance practice. He devoted himself to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. He founded in 1946 the London Bach Society, Steinitz Bach Players and the order of historical play and perform the music of Bach with authentic instruments and singing technique. In the course of 25 years that he introduced to all Bach's cantatas in London.
Youth and early career
( Charles) Paul (Joseph ) Steinitz was born in 1909 in Chichester. His father was an Anglican clergyman. After finishing school, he studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London, and George Oldroyd. He studied organ, and got 1930, the Associateship Diploma ( ARCO ) Organ diploma, and six months later the Fellowship Diploma from the Royal College of Organists ( Frco ). In the 1930s he was music director at St. Mary's Church in Ashford, Kent. In the following years he wide elements to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and his doctorate in 1940 at the University of London. After the founding of the London Bach Society in 1946 he was hired as director of music at the historic Priory Church of St Bartholomew -the -Great, London ( 1949-1961 ) and was head teacher at Goldsmiths College, University of London ( 1945-1977 ). From 1945-1984 he was a professor at the Royal Academy of Music, and from 1984 to 1988 Consultant Professor.
London Bach Society
In 1946, Paul Steinitz, the choir (South ) London Bach Society. The group's goal was to devote himself to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach in its original form, without the lush style of romanticism, which prevailed at that time in Bach performances. Starting in 1950, Bach's music was sung in German. Steinitz in 1952 conducted the first performance of the St. Matthew Passion in complete and original form in England. This work was performed annually by Steinitz. He was considered a pioneer of historical performance practice.
The choir was later renamed the " London Bach Society " (without the word "South "). Steinitz began to list all 208 surviving cantatas by Bach in London. He started this project in 1958 and finished it in 1987, two months before his death.
In 1968 he founded the Steinitz Bach Players, an instrumental group of professional musicians who had sympathy for his ideas. Together with the choir many concerts have been performed, the vocal music of Bach and other Baroque composers were brought to hearing. The performances of the St Matthew Passion, St John Passion and sometimes had a firm place in the London music calendar. Also in other cities of southern England was concerted. Tours abroad were held, including the USA, Israel, Bulgaria and East Germany twice (1964 and 1983, both times in the St. Thomas Church in Leipzig).
Steinitz was not limited to the music of Bach, but he conducted works by other composers of the Baroque era. He also conducted contemporary music, mostly world premieres of British composers. In 1956 Canticum Sacrum Stravinsky was performed under guest conductor Robert Craft. Works by Bruno Maderna, Luigi Dallapiccola, Peter Maxwell Davies, John Tavener, Anthony Milner, Stanley Glasser ( sung in the Zulu language ), Christopher Brown, Geoffrey Burgon and his own students Nicholas Maw came to the performance.
Honors and private life
His understanding of the Baroque performance practice has been referenced in various fonts. For The New Oxford History of Music, he contributed a chapter on the German church music in the 18th century. He wrote textbooks on harmony and the books Bach 's Passions, Bach for Choirs, and Performing Bach 's Vocal Music.
Paul Steinitz was an honorary member of the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Organists. In Bach's 300th birth year (1985 ) he was named Officer of the Order of the British Empire ( OBE).
Dr. Steinitz died in April 1988 in his country house built in the 18th century. He was a devout Quaker who throughout his life was convinced that music has the power to establish peace between political camps.
A monument of Steinitz in 1991 in the monastery of St Bartholomew -the -Great, West Smithfield, London, revealed.
Today, the London Bach Society each year organizes a Bach Festival.