Michael Maul (born 1978) is a German musicologist noted for his work on

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the ''Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard wo ...

. Maul was born in

Leipzig Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as ...

, and is still based in the city, although his work at the

Bach Archive The Bach-Archiv Leipzig or Bach-Archiv is an institution for the documentation and research of the life and work of Johann Sebastian Bach. The Bach-Archiv also researches the Bach family, especially their music. Based in Leipzig, the city where ...

has involved travel to archives and libraries across Germany in search of new sources relating to Bach. He is also artistic director of Leipzig's annual Bach festival.

Education

Maul was awarded a PhD by the

University of Freiburg The University of Freiburg (colloquially german: Uni Freiburg), officially the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg (german: Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg), is a public research university located in Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württe ...

for a dissertation on

Baroque opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...

. It formed the basis of his book ''Barockoper in Leipzig (1693-1720)''.

Bach discoveries

Maul's work attracted international attention with a discovery he made in 2005 in

Weimar Weimar is a city in the state (Germany), state of Thuringia, Germany. It is located in Central Germany (cultural area), Central Germany between Erfurt in the west and Jena in the east, approximately southwest of Leipzig, north of Nuremberg an ...

Duchess Anna Amalia Library The Duchess Anna Amalia Library (German: ''Herzogin Anna Amalia Bibliothek'') in Weimar, Germany, houses a major collection of German literature and historical documents. In 1991, the tricentennial of its opening to the public, the Ducal Librar ...

. This was a hitherto overlooked manuscript containing ''Alles mit Gott und nichts ohn' ihn'', BWV 1127, the first previously unknown vocal work by Bach to be found in 70 years. ReinckenAnWasser

Further research in Weimar identified other previously unknown manuscripts in Bach's hand, this time of music by other composers, throwing light on his musical education.

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. n ...

(2006)
Researchers find Bach’s oldest manuscripts

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maul, Michael Bach scholars University of Freiburg alumni Academic staff of Leipzig University 1978 births Living people Writers from Leipzig 21st-century conductors (music)