Alexander M. Schweitzer

Alexander M. Schweitzer (born April 7, 1964 in Frankfurt am Main ) is a German Catholic theologian and church musician .

Life

Schweitzer studied philosophy, Catholic theology and church music in Rome, Cremona and Munich from 1984 to 1992. After years of pastoral care and Bible pastoral work, Schweitzer was General Secretary of the Catholic Biblical Federation from 2001 to 2011. In 2008 he was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI. appointed expert on the Synod of Bishops on the Word of God. Since 2011, Schweitzer has been in charge of the United Bible Societies for Bible translation worldwide and for interdenominational cooperation. Since 2017 he has also been the Executive Director Global Bible Ministry of the same organization.

As a church musician, Schweitzer specializes in Gregorian chant . He works with numerous ensembles worldwide; since 1998 he has headed the Consortium Vocale Oslo , with which he has recorded seven CDs. He is a member of international juries and has received several awards. Schweitzer teaches Gregorian semiology in the Diploma of Advanced Studies program at the University of Music in Italian-speaking Switzerland in Lugano and is a lecturer in the international AISCGre courses.

In September 2015 he was elected President of the International Study Society for Gregorian Chant " AISCGre " (Associazione Internazionale Studi di Canto Gregoriano) , which is dedicated to the research and interpretation of Gregorian chants on the basis of the findings of the Neumen manuscripts and has around 500 members (persons and Institutions) in 30 countries.

Publications (selection)

• Suggestions for the restitution of melodies from the Graduale Romanum. Edited with the restitution group of the AISCGre in: Contributions to Gregorian chant ( ISSN  0935-9044 ) 28 (1999), 29–30 (2000), 31–32 (2001), 33–34 (2002), 35–36 (2003) , 37-38 (2004), 39-40 (2005), 41-42 (2006), 43-44 (2007), 45-46 (2008), 47-48 (2009), 49-50 (2010), 51-52 (2011), 53-54 (2012) ISBN 8890185414
• Gregorian conducting. In: Giovanni Conti (ed.), Signum sapientiæ - Sapientia signi. Cantus Gregoriani Helvetici Cultores / Quilisma Press (2005)
• Uso della Bibbia nei repertori musicali della liturgia oggi. Riflessioni all'occasione del 40 ° della Sacrosanctum Concilium. In: La Vita in Cristo e nella Chiesa. Roma (2003)
• Towards a new biblical season: The Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation “Verbum Domini”. In: Acts of the Finnish Ecumenical Council, Tampere, Finland (2012)
• The power of the word. The importance of the Reformation for languages ​​and societies. In: Reformation and the One World, EKD Magazin 2016 (2015)
• Reading the Bible as Word of God. In: Biblical Reflections, United Bible Societies (2016)
• The Bible in the Catholic Tradition. In: Your Word is Truth - The Bible in ten Christian traditions. World Council of Churches & United Bible Societies (2018)

CDs Gregorian Chant (with the Consortium Vocale Oslo)

• Laus mea Dominus: Oldest Gregorian Compositions from Mass, Vespers and Compline (ASV Ltd, CD GAU304, LC07967) (2002)
• Exaudiam eum: Gregorian Chant for Lent and Holy Week (2L, SACD43) (2007)
• Vultum tuum: Mary in Gregorian chant. With organ improvisation by Kåre Nordstoga (EOS CD4030, LC07277, ISBN 978-3-8306-4030-1 ) (2009)
• Resurrexi : Easter in Gregorian Chant (EOS CD7542, LC28574, ISBN 978-3-8306-7542-6 ) (2013)
• Salvum me fecit: Sundays in the year cycle VI – X in Gregorian chant (EOS CD7773, LC28574, ISBN 978-3-8306-7773-4 ) (2016)
• Mirabilia fecit Dominus: Sundays in the year circle XXI – XXV and XXXII (EOS CD7796, LC 28574, ISBN 978-3-8306-7796-3 ) (2016)
• Historia Sancti Olavi (LAWO Classics, LWC1106, SACD) (2016)

Web links

• AISCGre
• Consortium Vocale Oslo
• Finnish Ecumenical Council: "Verbum Domini"
• THE program Università della Svizzera Italiana (PDF file)
• EOS publishing house