Franz Xaver Witt
Encyclopedia
Franz Xaver Witt was a Catholic
priest, church musician, and composer. He was one of the leaders in the reform of Catholic church music in the second half of the 19th century.
Witt was born in Walderbach
, Bavaria
. His father was a school teacher. Witt was taught piano and singing from a young age.
He studied theology and science at the seminary
in Regensburg
. He sang in the seminary's choir, which was under the direction of Joseph Schrems. He was ordained as a priest in 1856 and taught Gregorian chant
at the seminary at Regensburg. In 1867 was appointed inspector of the seminary of St. Emmeram. In 1868 Witt founded the Caecilia Society in order to revive the use of Gregorian chant and polyphony, and to promote the composition of new liturgical music in an older style in Catholic churches. Pope Pius IX
recognized the society in 1870. He died in Landshut
.
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
priest, church musician, and composer. He was one of the leaders in the reform of Catholic church music in the second half of the 19th century.
Witt was born in Walderbach
Walderbach
Walderbach is a municipality in the district of Cham in Bavaria in Germany....
, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
. His father was a school teacher. Witt was taught piano and singing from a young age.
He studied theology and science at the seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
in Regensburg
Regensburg
Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
. He sang in the seminary's choir, which was under the direction of Joseph Schrems. He was ordained as a priest in 1856 and taught Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant
Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic liturgical music within Western Christianity that accompanied the celebration of Mass and other ritual services...
at the seminary at Regensburg. In 1867 was appointed inspector of the seminary of St. Emmeram. In 1868 Witt founded the Caecilia Society in order to revive the use of Gregorian chant and polyphony, and to promote the composition of new liturgical music in an older style in Catholic churches. Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
recognized the society in 1870. He died in Landshut
Landshut
Landshut is a city in Bavaria in the south-east of Germany, belonging to both Eastern and Southern Bavaria. Situated on the banks of the River Isar, Landshut is the capital of Lower Bavaria, one of the seven administrative regions of the Free State of Bavaria. It is also the seat of the...
.