Albert Riemenschneider
Encyclopedia
Albert Riemenschneider (August 31, 1878 – July 20, 1950) was an American musician and Bach
musicologist
.
Riemenschneider was born into a musical family. His father, Karl H. Riemenschneider,There are two conflicting sources about the name of his father: T. Riemenschneider & L. Keneally and Grove give "Karl H.", guilmant.nl gives the composer Georg Riemenschneider (1848–1913) which seems not unlikely, given the many organ works of that composer; the former get Albert Riemenschneider's birthday clearly wrong ("1898", probably a typographical error), the latter gives a different date of death (July 21, where the former give July 20); Grove gives "July 20, 1878" which is probably correct. was the president of German Wallace College (which later became Baldwin-Wallace (BW) College
). While still a student at the college, he was offered the then vacant position of Director of the Music Department in 1898. This department then became under his directorship the Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory of Music
. In 1899 he graduated from the college and received its Alumni Merit Award; his wife Selma, née
Marting, graduated in 1904, also with an Alumni Merit Award. in 1989 the Riemenschneider family, many of whom graduated from BW, received the college's inaugural Family Heritage Award.
In 1932, Albert Riemenschneider and his wife founded the Baldwin-Wallace Bach Festival, the oldest collegiate bach festival in America. It was modelled on the Bethlehem Bach Festival which was developed by Riemenschneider's friend, Dr. Frederick Wolle.
From 1902 to 1903 he studied the piano under Hugo Reinhold
and composition under Robert Fuchs
in Vienna
. In Paris
in 1904 and 1905, he studied with Charles-Marie Widor
and Alexandre Guilmant
and became a friend of Marcel Dupré
and Albert Schweitzer
. The American composer Richard Ellsasser
(1926–1972) was his pupil. Riemenschneider performed Bach's music in more than three hundred recitals and concerts in America and Europe. He received an honorary doctorate
"D.mus.
" in 1944 (Grove: 1939) from the Sherwood Conservatory of Music and served as president on several educational and Methodist
institutions. In 1947 he retired as director of the conservatorium, but returned later to serve as Acting President for one year. He was invited by the Library of Congress
to hold a lecture on Bach in 1950, but it had to be presented posthumously.
The most enduring publication of his scholarly works was his Bach — 371 Harmonized
Chorale
s and 69 Chorale Melodies with Figured Bass
, ed. Albert Riemenschneider, G. Schirmer
, NY, 1941 (see also List of chorale harmonisations by Johann Sebastian Bach).
Selma Riemenschneider continued the management of the Bach festival until 1954. In 1951 she donated Albert's collection of rare Bach manuscripts to Baldwin-Wallace College, founding a library which in 1969 became the Riemenschneider Bach Institute.
Albert and Selma Riemenschneider had three children, Edwin, Paul, and Wilma. Albert died on July 20 (or 21) 1950 in Akron, Ohio
, just a few days away from the 200th anniversary of Bach's death.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
musicologist
Musicology
Musicology is the scholarly study of music. The word is used in narrow, broad and intermediate senses. In the narrow sense, musicology is confined to the music history of Western culture...
.
Riemenschneider was born into a musical family. His father, Karl H. Riemenschneider,There are two conflicting sources about the name of his father: T. Riemenschneider & L. Keneally and Grove give "Karl H.", guilmant.nl gives the composer Georg Riemenschneider (1848–1913) which seems not unlikely, given the many organ works of that composer; the former get Albert Riemenschneider's birthday clearly wrong ("1898", probably a typographical error), the latter gives a different date of death (July 21, where the former give July 20); Grove gives "July 20, 1878" which is probably correct. was the president of German Wallace College (which later became Baldwin-Wallace (BW) College
Baldwin-Wallace College
Baldwin–Wallace College is a liberal arts college in Berea, Ohio, founded in 1845. It is home to the Riemenschneider-Bach Institute and the Baldwin–Wallace Conservatory of Music, an internationally renowned music school. The college is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Students receive a...
). While still a student at the college, he was offered the then vacant position of Director of the Music Department in 1898. This department then became under his directorship the Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory of Music
Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory of Music
The Baldwin–Wallace College Conservatory of Music is part of Baldwin-Wallace College which is located in Berea, Ohio. The main building is Kulas Hall. The Conservatory is home to the Baldwin-Wallace Bach Festival, the oldest collegiate Bach Festival in the United States.-History:The...
. In 1899 he graduated from the college and received its Alumni Merit Award; his wife Selma, née
Married and maiden names
A married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage. When a person assumes the family name of her spouse, the new name replaces the maiden name....
Marting, graduated in 1904, also with an Alumni Merit Award. in 1989 the Riemenschneider family, many of whom graduated from BW, received the college's inaugural Family Heritage Award.
In 1932, Albert Riemenschneider and his wife founded the Baldwin-Wallace Bach Festival, the oldest collegiate bach festival in America. It was modelled on the Bethlehem Bach Festival which was developed by Riemenschneider's friend, Dr. Frederick Wolle.
From 1902 to 1903 he studied the piano under Hugo Reinhold
Hugo Reinhold
Hugo Reinhold was an Austrian composer and pianist.He was born and died in Vienna. He was admitted to the Conservatorium der Musikfreunde, where he studied under Anton Bruckner, Felix Dessoff and Julius Epstein, among others...
and composition under Robert Fuchs
Robert Fuchs
Robert Fuchs was an Austrian composer and music teacher.As Professor of music theory at the Vienna Conservatory, Fuchs taught many notable composers, while he was himself a highly regarded composer in his lifetime....
in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. In Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1904 and 1905, he studied with Charles-Marie Widor
Charles-Marie Widor
Charles-Marie Jean Albert Widor was a French organist, composer and teacher.-Life:Widor was born in Lyon, to a family of organ builders, and initially studied music there with his father, François-Charles Widor, titular organist of Saint-François-de-Sales from 1838 to 1889...
and Alexandre Guilmant
Alexandre Guilmant
Félix-Alexandre Guilmant was a French organist and composer.- Short biography :Guilmant was born in Boulogne-sur-Mer...
and became a friend of Marcel Dupré
Marcel Dupré
Marcel Dupré , was a French organist, pianist, composer, and pedagogue.-Biography:Marcel Dupré was born in Rouen . Born into a musical family, he was a child prodigy. His father Albert Dupré was organist in Rouen and a friend of Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, who built an organ in the family house when...
and Albert Schweitzer
Albert Schweitzer
Albert Schweitzer OM was a German theologian, organist, philosopher, physician, and medical missionary. He was born in Kaysersberg in the province of Alsace-Lorraine, at that time part of the German Empire...
. The American composer Richard Ellsasser
Richard Ellsasser
Richard Ellsasser was an American concert organist, composer, and conductor, who was primarily active during the 1940s, 50's and 60's. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, on September 14, 1926, the young Ellsasser was a musical prodigy who studied piano and organ, first with his father, and later with...
(1926–1972) was his pupil. Riemenschneider performed Bach's music in more than three hundred recitals and concerts in America and Europe. He received an honorary doctorate
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
"D.mus.
Doctor of Music
The Doctor of Music degree , like other doctorates, is an academic degree of the highest level. The D.Mus. is intended for musicians and composers who wish to combine the highest attainments in their area of specialization with doctoral-level academic study in music...
" in 1944 (Grove: 1939) from the Sherwood Conservatory of Music and served as president on several educational and Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
institutions. In 1947 he retired as director of the conservatorium, but returned later to serve as Acting President for one year. He was invited by the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
to hold a lecture on Bach in 1950, but it had to be presented posthumously.
The most enduring publication of his scholarly works was his Bach — 371 Harmonized
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
Chorale
Chorale
A chorale was originally a hymn sung by a Christian congregation. In certain modern usage, this term may also include classical settings of such hymns and works of a similar character....
s and 69 Chorale Melodies with Figured Bass
Figured bass
Figured bass, or thoroughbass, is a kind of integer musical notation used to indicate intervals, chords, and non-chord tones, in relation to a bass note...
, ed. Albert Riemenschneider, G. Schirmer
G. Schirmer
G. Schirmer Inc. is an American classical music publishing company based in New York City, founded in 1861. It publishes sheet music for sale and rental, and represents some well-known European music publishers in North America, such as the Italian Ricordi, Music Sales Affiliates ChesterNovello,...
, NY, 1941 (see also List of chorale harmonisations by Johann Sebastian Bach).
Selma Riemenschneider continued the management of the Bach festival until 1954. In 1951 she donated Albert's collection of rare Bach manuscripts to Baldwin-Wallace College, founding a library which in 1969 became the Riemenschneider Bach Institute.
Albert and Selma Riemenschneider had three children, Edwin, Paul, and Wilma. Albert died on July 20 (or 21) 1950 in Akron, Ohio
Akron, Ohio
Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
, just a few days away from the 200th anniversary of Bach's death.
External links
- Riemenschneider Bach Institute at Baldwin-Wallace CollegeBaldwin-Wallace CollegeBaldwin–Wallace College is a liberal arts college in Berea, Ohio, founded in 1845. It is home to the Riemenschneider-Bach Institute and the Baldwin–Wallace Conservatory of Music, an internationally renowned music school. The college is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Students receive a...