Latest on Werckmeister

After spending a week in the Harz area of Sachsen Anhalt, and meeting with Dr. Rudiger Pfeiffer, President of the Werckmeister Society, and some hefty photocopying at the Wofenbuttal library, I am pleased to report some findings.

First off, Werckmeister was a good composer and there is a cantata and several organ works surviving which is being sent my way. He even wrote a "funny" book about how not to be a "bad" composer.

Werckmeister did not reverse his views on tuning as had been suggested on this list. In the last book Paradoxical Discourse, Werckmeister refers the reader to his 1691 publication "Musical Temperament" for a thorough discussion, just as he did in the second edition of Orgel-Probe.

Several smoking guns were located that indicate the depth with which chromatic tuning was associated with Werckmeister's tuning.

First off, Johann Walter and Johann Kuhnau are known to have used Werckmeister's tuning (according to Dr. Pfeiffer.) Since Walther hired his cousin Bach in Weimar, he is likely to have used the tuning of his employer. Same with Bach succeeding Kuhnau in Leipzig.

Walther declares himself a student of Werckmeister in a letter. Besides writing a monograph on how to compose, Walther writes the Lexicon in 1732 which devoted its largest article to Werckmeister.

Werckmeister accually inherited his library from Praetorious through the Bishop of both Wofenbuttal and Halberstadt (where W. worked and died). W. then gave various works to Walther, besides his own, which Walther passed on to Johann Matheson. Matheson wrote a chapter called "Werckmeisteriania" which treats W. as the authority on many things.

The only issue regarding Bach that the Germans have had trouble with is whether or not players could negotiate the tuning. WELL, this now means I am to lead a workshop in Halberstadt in 2 years for the 4th biannual Werckmeister conference. Should be fun!

Johnny Reinhard

After spending a week in the Harz area of Sachsen Anhalt, and meeting with Dr. Rudiger Pfeiffer, President of the Werckmeister Society, and some hefty photocopying at the Wofenbuttal library, I am pleased to report some findings.

First off, Werckmeister was a good composer and there is a cantata and several organ works surviving which is being sent my way. He even wrote a "funny" book about how not to be a "bad" composer.

Werckmeister did not reverse his views on tuning as had been suggested on this list. In the last book Paradoxical Discourse, Werckmeister refers the reader to his 1691 publication "Musical Temperament" for a thorough discussion, just as he did in the second edition of Orgel-Probe.

Several smoking guns were located that indicate the depth with which chromatic tuning was associated with Werckmeister's tuning.

First off, Johann Walter and Johann Kuhnau are known to have used Werckmeister's tuning (according to Dr. Pfeiffer.) Since Walther hired his cousin Bach in Weimar, he is likely to have used the tuning of his employer. Same with Bach succeeding Kuhnau in Leipzig.

Walther declares himself a student of Werckmeister in a letter. Besides writing a monograph on how to compose, Walther writes the Lexicon in 1732 which devoted its largest article to Werckmeister.

Werckmeister accually inherited his library from Praetorious through the Bishop of both Wofenbuttal and Halberstadt (where W. worked and died). W. then gave various works to Walther, besides his own, which Walther passed on to Johann Matheson. Matheson wrote a chapter called "Werckmeisteriania" which treats W. as the authority on many things.

The only issue regarding Bach that the Germans have had trouble with is whether or not players could negotiate the tuning. WELL, this now means I am to lead a workshop in Halberstadt in 2 years for the 4th biannual Werckmeister conference. Should be fun!

Johnny Reinhard