Heinrich Sievers (20 August 190817 September 1999) was a German
musicologist
Musicology is the academic, research-based study of music, as opposed to musical composition or performance. Musicology research combines and intersects with many fields, including psychology, sociology, acoustics, neurology, natural sciences, f ...
,
music critic
'' The Oxford Companion to Music'' defines music criticism as "the intellectual activity of formulating judgments on the value and degree of excellence of individual works of music, or whole groups or genres". In this sense, it is a branch of m ...
, university lecturer,
["Sievers, Heinrich"](_blank)
in the database ''Niedersächsische Personen'' (new entry required) of the in the version dated 1 July 2015, last retrieved on 19 July 2020 and
conductor
Conductor or conduction may refer to:
Biology and medicine
* Bone conduction, the conduction of sound to the inner ear
* Conduction aphasia, a language disorder
Mathematics
* Conductor (ring theory)
* Conductor of an abelian variety
* Cond ...
.
[o. V.]
''Geschichte des Collegium Musicum Hannover''
auf der Seite ''orchester.uni-hannover.de'' in the version dated 15 January 2018, last retrieved on 19 July 2020 He was regarded as an authority on the history of music in
Hanover
Hanover ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Lower Saxony. Its population of 535,932 (2021) makes it the List of cities in Germany by population, 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-l ...
and
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a States of Germany, German state (') in Northern Germany, northwestern Germany. It is the second-largest state by land area, with , and fourth-largest in population (8 million in 2021) among the 16 ' of the Germany, Federal Re ...
, and wrote music-historical
monograph
A monograph is generally a long-form work on one (usually scholarly) subject, or one aspect of a subject, typically created by a single author or artist (or, sometimes, by two or more authors). Traditionally it is in written form and published a ...
s in English and Finnish publications.
[''Die Autoren'', in Sabine Hammer (ed.), George Alexander Albrecht, : ''Das Opernhaus in Hannover. Architektur und Theatergeschichte'', Hannover: Schlütersche Verlagsanstalt und Druckerei, 1986, and , ; here ]
Life
Sievers was born in the small town of
Dorum
Dorum is a village and a former municipality in the Cuxhaven (district), district of Cuxhaven, in Lower Saxony, Germany. Since 1 January 2015 it has been part of the municipality Wurster Nordseeküste.
The ''Land of Wursten'', a somewhat autono ...
at the
North Sea
The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. A sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Se ...
during the time of the
German Empire
The German Empire (),; ; World Book, Inc. ''The World Book dictionary, Volume 1''. World Book, Inc., 2003. p. 572. States that Deutsches Reich translates as "German Realm" and was a former official name of Germany. also referred to as Imperia ...
, but spent his youth in the towns of
Goslar
Goslar (; Eastphalian dialect, Eastphalian: ''Goslär'') is a historic town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the administrative centre of the Goslar (district), district of Goslar and is located on the northwestern wikt:slope, slopes of the Harz ...
and
Peine
Peine (; Eastphalian: ''Paane'') is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany, capital of the district Peine. It is situated on the river Fuhse and the Mittellandkanal, approximately west of Braunschweig, northeast of Hildesheim, and east of Hanover ...
.
After finishing school, he began studying
musicology
Musicology is the academic, research-based study of music, as opposed to musical composition or performance. Musicology research combines and intersects with many fields, including psychology, sociology, acoustics, neurology, natural sciences, ...
in northern Bavaria at the
University of Würzburg
The Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg (also referred to as the University of Würzburg, in German ''Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg'') is a public research university in Würzburg, Germany. Founded in 1402, it is one of the ol ...
during the time of the
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic, officially known as the German Reich, was the German Reich, German state from 1918 to 1933, during which it was a constitutional republic for the first time in history; hence it is also referred to, and unofficially proclai ...
,
becoming a member of the and which is part of the During his studies in 1931,
Sievers discovered the from the year 1460 in the archive of the
Wienhausen Abbey
Wienhausen Abbey or Convent () near Celle in Lower Saxony, Germany, is a community of Evangelical Lutheran women, which until the Reformation was a Cistercian Catholic nunnery. The abbey owns significant artworks and artifacts, including a colle ...
,
which he published two decades later as a
facsimile
A facsimile (from Latin ''fac simile'', "to make alike") 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 r ...
.
From 1932, Sievers continued his studies in Cologne, completing his
Doctor of Philosophy
A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of Postgraduate education, graduate study and original resear ...
degree in 1935 at the
University of Cologne
The University of Cologne () is a university in Cologne, Germany. It was established in 1388. It closed in 1798 before being re-established in 1919. It is now one of the largest universities in Germany with around 45,187 students. The Universit ...
with his musicological research entitled 'the Latin liturgical Easter plays of the collegiate church of St. Blaise in Brunswick' ().
From 1937 Sievers worked in
Brunswick as a music critic,
and in 1939, the year that the Second World War began, commenced working in
Hanover
Hanover ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Lower Saxony. Its population of 535,932 (2021) makes it the List of cities in Germany by population, 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-l ...
at the conservatory that would become the
Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media (HMTMH).
[Rudolf Klein (ed.): ''Sievers, Dr. phil., Heinrich, Prof., Musikwissenschaftler in Hannover'', in ders.: '' Niedersachsenlexikon. Alles Wissenswerte über das Land Niedersachsen'', Frankfurt: Umschau-Verlag, 1969, p. 352f.] Parallel to his work at the conservatory, in 1946 Sievers started working at the precursor of the within the
British Occupation Zone
The British occupation zone in Germany (German: ''Britische Besatzungszone Deutschlands'') was one of the Allied-occupied areas in Germany after World War II. The United Kingdom, along with the Commonwealth, was one of the three major Allied po ...
in
post-war Germany.
He also taught at the
In 1954 Sievers succeeded the chemist and university
lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank within many universities, though the meaning of the term varies somewhat from country to country. It generally denotes an academic expert who is hired to teach on a full- or part-time basis. They may also conduct re ...
Walter Scheele as conductor of the
collegium musicum
The Collegium Musicum was one of several types of musical societies that arose in Germany, German and German-Switzerland, Swiss cities and towns during the Protestant Reformation, Reformation and thrived into the mid-18th century.
Generally, whil ...
, the symphony orchestra of the later
Leibniz University Hannover
Leibniz University Hannover (), also known as the University of Hannover, is a public university, public research university located in Hanover, Germany. Founded on 2 May 1831 as Higher Vocational School, the university has undergone six period ...
(LUH).
In 1959 Sievers was appointed professor of musicology at the Lower Saxon College for Music and Theatre, a precursor of HMTMH, where he was also responsible for the department of
church music
Church music is a genre of Christian music written for performance in church, or any musical setting of ecclesiastical liturgy, or music set to words expressing propositions of a sacred nature, such as a hymn.
History
Early Christian musi ...
. In the same year he was appointed honorary professor at the Hanover Technical College that would eventually become LUH. In addition, he again worked as a critic in magazines and daily newspapers such as the ''
Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung
''Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung'' (abbreviated HAZ) is a German newspaper with a circulation of 158,000 (as of 2009) and a widespread resonance all over Germany. It is distributed in Hanover and in all Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a St ...
''.
From 1960 until 1968 he was music director of the Sondershausen Association.
Sievers researched the history of music, especially that of Hanover and
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a States of Germany, German state (') in Northern Germany, northwestern Germany. It is the second-largest state by land area, with , and fourth-largest in population (8 million in 2021) among the 16 ' of the Germany, Federal Re ...
, for almost his entire life. His numerous essays, reviews, books and appearances in radio broadcasts were reflected in several publications. Among his most important publications are ''The Music in Hanover'' () from 1961, ''Curious Music'' () from 1970, ''Chamber Music in Hanover'' () from 1980 and the entry for ''Hanover'' in the 1st edition of the encyclopedia ''
Music in History and the Present'' (). His two volumes of the ''Hanoverian Music History'' () published in 1979 and 1984 are a standard work.
Sievers died in in
Upper Bavaria
Upper Bavaria (, ; ) is one of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, Germany.
Geography
Upper Bavaria is located in the southern portion of Bavaria, and is centered on the city of Munich, both state capital and seat of the district gove ...
in 1999 at the age of 91.
Honours
* Awarded
Grand Cross of Merit of the Order of Merit of Lower Saxony
* Appointed honorary member of
* Honored with "Fokke-Pollmann-Medal" by "Sängerbund Nordwestdeutschland" in 1984
Writings
* ''Die lateinischen liturgischen Osterspiele der Stiftskirche St. Blasien zu Braunschweig. Eine musikwissenschaftliche Untersuchung …''. (''Veröffentlichungen der Niedersächsischen Musikgeschichte'', issue 2, Kallmeyer: Wolfenbüttel), plus Dissertation 1935 at the
University of Würzburg
The Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg (also referred to as the University of Würzburg, in German ''Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg'') is a public research university in Würzburg, Germany. Founded in 1402, it is one of the ol ...
, 1936
* Heinrich Sievers, Albert Trapp, Alexander Schum: ''250 Jahre Braunschweigisches Staatstheater, 1690–1940''. edited by the Braunschweigischen Landesstelle für Heimatforschung und Heimatpflege, Braunschweig: Appelhans, 1941
* Heinrich Sievers (ed.): ''Bach-Jahr 1950'', edited by the Landeshauptstadt Hannover
** Folge 1: ''November 1949 bis März 1950'', Hanover: Osterwald, 1949
* ''Hannoversche Musikgeschichte. Dokumente, Kritiken und Meinungen''.
Tutzing
Tutzing is a Municipalities of Germany, municipality in the district of Starnberg (district), Starnberg in Bavaria, Germany, on the west bank of the Starnberger See. Just 40 km south-west of Munich and with good views of the Alps, the town wa ...
: Schneider
** Vol. 1: ''Von den Anfängen bis zu den Befreiungskriegen'', 1979, and
** Vol. 2: ''Vom Ende des 18. Jahrhunderts bis zur Auflösung des Königreichs Hannover'', 1984, and
* ''Die Musik in Hannover. Die musikalischen Strömungen in Niedersachsen vom Mittelalter bis zur Gegenwart unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Musikgeschichte der Landeshauptstadt Hannover''., 168 partly illustrated pages with music samples and a
phonograph record
A phonograph record (also known as a gramophone record, especially in British English) or a vinyl record (for later varieties only) is an analog sound storage medium in the form of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove. The g ...
, published on the occasion of the 325th anniversary of the Opera House Orchestra by the Society of Friends of the Opera House Orchestra, Hanover: Sponholtz, 1961
* ''Kammermusik in Hannover. Historisches, Gegenwärtiges – Kritiken, Meinungen. Unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des Wirkens der Hannoverschen Kammermusik-Gemeinde 1929–1979'', Tutzing: Schneider Verlag, 1980
* ''Prisma der Musikgeschichte''. Tutzing: Schneider, 1983, and
Table of contents
as publisher:
* ''Musik im Weltbild'', Book series of the Braunschweigische Staatsmusikschule and the Landesmusikschule Hanover, Hanover: Hahnsche Buchhandlung, 1947
* ''Das Wienhäuser Liederbuch''. 2 volumes in
facsimile
A facsimile (from Latin ''fac simile'', "to make alike") 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 r ...
, Wolfenbüttel: Möseler, 1954
* A. A. H. H. Sievers: "Musica curiosa. Neu eröffnetes musicalisch-historisches Rarietäten Cabinet, worin nicht nur einem würcklichen galant-homme, der eben kein Professions-Verwandter, sondern auch manchem Musico selbst die alleraufrichtigste und deutlichste Vorstellung musicalischer Scharteken, wie sich dieselben vom Schulstaub tüchtig gesäubert, eigentlich und wahrhafftig verhalten, ertheilet, auch ein blühend wohlriechend Würtzgärtlein Historiae Musicae, mit Ehr- und Lehr-, Schertz- und Schmertz-, Leid- und Freuden-Gewächsen, welche zu unterschiedl. Zeiten gepflantzet, nunmehr aber allen vernünfftigen Liebhabern zu sonderbarem Gefallen zu hauffe gesamlet u. in die offenbahre Welt ausgestreuet" (''Musica curiosa. Newly opened musical-historical rarities cabinet, in which not only a dignified galant-homme, who is not related to any profession, but also many a Musico himself has the most sincere and clearest idea of musical gangsters, how they behave in a proper and truthful way, cleaned from the school dust, is also told by a blooming, fragrant little spice garden Historiae Musicae, with plants of honour and teaching, of jokes and pain, of suffering and joy, which are too different from each other. Planted at different times, but now to all reasonable lovers to strange favour to be spread out to the open world'', 191 partly illustrated pages with examples of music, 2nd, changed and enlarged edition, Tutzing: Schneider, 1971, and
* ''Scurrilia in musica. Ergetzliches aus allerlei Journalen''. Tutzing: Schneider, 1988, and
Literature
*
Günter Katzenberger
Günter Katzenberger (25 May 1937 – 28 December 2020) was a German musician, musicologist, conductor, and university faculty, professor for Music history, Historical musicology at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover (ed.): ''Heinrich Sievers zum 70. Geburtstag. In cooperation with
Richard Jakoby
Richard Matthias Jakoby (11 September 1929 – 9 July 2017) was a German music teacher and cultural manager and until 1993 director of the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hannover.
Life
Born in Dreis, Jakoby was the sixth of seven children ( ...
''. Tutzing: Schneider, 1978, and
Inhaltsverzeichnis* Rita Seidel: ''Catalogus professorum 1831–1981. Festschrift zum 150jährigen Bestehen der Universität Hannover'', edited on behalf of the President, University of Hannover, Stuttgart; Berlin; Cologne; Mainz: Kohlhammer, 1981, , .
* Helga Fredebold: ''Ein Rössinger Original, Heinrich Sievers''. In ''Hildesheimer Heimat-Kalender: Kalender für Familie und Haus. Jahrbuch für Kunst und Wissenschaft im Hildesheimer Land'', Hildesheim: Gerstenberg, 1998, .
* Werner Sührig: ''Ostfälisches Platt im Hildesheimer Land. Das Sievers-Kese'sche Gesamtwerk''.
''Ostfälisches Platt im Hildesheimer Land. Das Sievers-Kese'sche Gesamtwerk''
on WorldCat (''Veröffentlichungen des Landschaftsverbandes Hildesheim'', vol. 13), Hildesheim mong others
Mong may refer to:
People
*A proposed original name for the Hmong people, based on the main group, the Mong community
*Bob Mong (), American journalist and academic administrator
*Henry Mong (), American surgeon and Presbyterian missionary
*Mong M ...
Olms, 2002,
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sievers, Heinrich
1908 births
1999 deaths
People from Cuxhaven (district)
20th-century German musicologists
German music critics
German conductors (music)
German publishers (people)
Academic staff of the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover
Academic staff of Leibniz University Hannover