Joseph Riepel

Joseph Riepel (born January 22, 1709 in German Hörschlag ( Upper Austria ), † October 23, 1782 in Regensburg ) was an Austrian - German music theorist , violinist and composer . Riepel is known for his theoretical work, the growing popularity of which is based primarily on a new type of theory of melody and forms. Riepel's writings form one of the foundations for the theory of composition in the later 18th century.

Life

Joseph Riepel was the son of a farmer and innkeeper. He attended the Jesuit college in Steyr and began philosophical studies in Linz and Graz, but distinguished himself as a violinist at an early age. From 1735 to 1736 he traveled to the Balkan Peninsula as a valet of General Alexander Count d'Ollone in the 7th Austrian Turkish War . 1739–1745 he stayed in Dresden, where, according to his own statements, he had "daily dealings" with Jan Dismas Zelenka and the concert master Johann Georg Pisendel and only received his actual musical training here. After stays in Poland and Vienna in 1749 he became Kapellmeister at the court of the Princes of Thurn and Taxis in Regensburg, where he spent the rest of his life. This is where his theoretical writings and most of his compositions were created.

Teaching

Front page of the "Starting Reasons"

Riepel's music-theoretical individual works are subordinated as "Capitel" to the works Beginnings for Musical Typesetting and Harmonic Syllable Measures . The title of the initial reasons also contains Riepel's resolution "not to proceed according to the old mathematical imagination of the circle harmonists", but in a practice-oriented manner, "consistently with visible examples". Since he believes that the "circul practice" (division of the monochord , calculation of numerical ratios ) does not serve the practice of composition, such and other relics of the older musica theorica are treated accordingly polemically. In it, Riepel shows a viewpoint that is similar to that of Johann Mattheson, which is critical of tradition .

For the presentation of his teachings, Riepel consistently uses the dialogue form (with the exception of the posthumously published bass clef ) , probably based on the model of Johann Joseph Fux 's Gradus ad Parnassum . The style of conversation between praeceptor (teacher) and discantista (a choirboy as a student) is often burlesque and humorous and characterized by systematic digression. So it happens that praeceptor and discantist talk about music theory / composition , performance practice , music aesthetics and also a lot of non-musical things on a few pages , whereby a topic is often taken up again after several changes of topic. The headings of the individual volumes are also deceptive, as the “chapters” by no means deal with just one topic. The discussion of the rhythmopoeia (measure order) is not closed with the first “chapter”; the following volumes fall back on it just as the first volume already anticipates tone order, counterpoint, etc.

In addition, there are frequent allusions to people and places that are either fictional or provided with pseudonyms . (Various anagrams of the name "Riepel", musical functionaries in "Monsberg", "Vallethal", "Urbsstadt", etc.)

The current interest in Riepel is mainly focused on the theory of tact and tone order , which deals with subjects that have been considered part of the theory of forms since the 19th century . The tact order deals with the "rhythm", the quantitative determination of phrase lengths, their relationship to each other and their internal structure. The sequence of closing formulas of different weight as well as modulation paths in the course of a piece fall under the tone order . Riepel already contains numerous syntactic terms such as paragraph , cut , fours , fives, etc., which were later systematized by Heinrich Christoph Koch . The time theory of Marpurg and Koch is also available in nuce with Riepel, who claims that he can notate all pieces "since Jubal's time" in 2/4 or 3/4 time.

reception

Riepel's works were only slowly known (apparently for publishing reasons), but leading theorists were always well informed about his work. Marpurg and Hiller's reception was enthusiastic; The latter passed on his acquaintance with Riepel's writings to Christian Gottlob Neefe , through whom Ludwig van Beethoven became acquainted with them. Riepel's direct students included Fortunatus Cavallo , FA Veichtner , JB Hamp, JC Kaffka , JA Liber, CFW Nopitsch , FX Pokorný , G. Poll, S. Prixner, T. von Schacht , JB Schmid, JC Schubarth, C. Steiglehner and Johann Christoph Vogel . Leopold Mozart wrote to encourage his son Wolfgang not to neglect "den Riepl".

There are contradicting statements about the condition of the Thurn and Taxis court orchestra under Riepel's direction: In 1772 Charles Burney decided not to travel to Dischingen after an "excellent judge of music" had assured him that he had heard the orchestra several times and found it "Inelegant and expressionless" games; But this is vehemently denied by Burney's German translator (due to other rumors). Johann Nikolaus Forkel added the Regensburg Chapel to his list of the best court chapels in Germany.

Fonts

Edition: T. Emmerig (Ed.), Complete Writings on Music Theory , Vienna 1996

• The initial reasons for musical typesetting: not according to the old mathematical imagination of the circle harmonists, but consistently composed with visible examples.
  • [1.] De rhythmopoeia, or Von der Tactordnung , 1752
  • [2.] Basic rules for tone order in general , 1755
  • [3.] Thorough explanation of the tone order in particular, but at the same time for the majority of organists in general , 1757
  • [4.] Explanation of the deceptive tone order , 1765
  • [5.] Indispensable comments on the Contrapunct [...] , 1768
  • [6.] From Contrapunct , MS
  • [7th – 8th] Bass clef, that is, instructions for beginners and lovers of the art of typesetting who have nice thoughts and put them on paper, but only complain that they do not know how to put bass into them , 1786
  • [9.] The first part of the fugue study , MS
  • [10.] Part two of the fugue consideration , MS
• Harmonious syllable measure. Dedicated to poets of melodic works, and drafted in conversation for prospective singing composers with flat examples.
  • [1.] From the recitative , 1776
  • [2.] From Arien , 1776
  • [3.] Part III , MS

Compositions

Catalog raisonné at Emmerig (1984)

• Masses, Requiems, Vespers, Psalms, etc. a.
• Opera: Artaserse , Dramma per musica (3 acts), Libretto: Pietro Metastasio (lost)
• Symphonies
• 3 violin concertos (Regensburg 1756, Paris 1767)
• Further concerts and chamber music

literature

• Robert Eitner :  Riepel, Joseph . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 28, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1889, p. 565 f.
• Wilhelm Twittenhoff : The music-theoretical writings of Joseph Riepel (1709–1782) as an example of a descriptive music theory (= contributions to music research. Vol. 2). Bookstore of the orphanage, Halle 1935 (also: Halle, university, phil. Dissertation, 1934).
• Ernst Schwarzmaier : The measure and tone order of Joseph Riepels. A contribution to the history of the theory of forms in the 18th century. Publishing house for musical culture and science, Wolfenbüttel 1936 (at the same time: Munich, phil. Dissertation).
• Josef Merkl: Josef Riepel as a composer (1709–1782). A contribution to the music history of the city of Regensburg. Lassleben, Kallmünz 1937 (Erlangen, University, phil. Dissertation, 1937).
• Arnold Feil : Composition-technical questions in the composition theory of FE Niedt, J. Riepel and H. Chr. Koch. Heidelberg 1955 (Heidelberg, University, dissertation, 1955).
• Wolfgang Budday: Basics of musical forms of the Viennese classic. Using the contemporary theory of Joseph Riepel and Heinrich Christoph Koch, illustrated in minuets and sonatas (1750–1790). Bärenreiter, Kassel et al. 1983, ISBN 3-7618-0712-0 (At the same time: Tübingen, University, dissertation, 1982).
• Nola Jane Reed: The theories of Joseph Riepel as expressed in his “Beginnings for the musical art of composition” (1752–1768) . Rochester 1983 (also: Rochester NY, University of Rochester, dissertation, 1983).
• Thomas Emmerig: Joseph Riepel (1709–1782). Hofkapellmeister of the Prince of Thurn und Taxis. Biography, thematic catalog raisonné, catalog raisonné (= Thurn-und-Taxis-Studien. Vol. 14). Lassleben, Kallmünz 1984, ISBN 3-7847-1516-8 .
• Markus Waldura: From Rameau and Riepel to Koch. On the connection between the theoretical approach, cadence theory and the concept of periods in music theory of the 18th century (= musicological publications. Vol. 21). Olms, Hildesheim et al. 2002, ISBN 3-487-11781-9 (also: Saarbrücken, Universität, habilitation paper, 2002).
• Oliver Wiener: "A whole dozen manuctions". Joseph Riepels disintegration of the Gradus ad Parnassum by Johann Joseph Fux (= Johann-Joseph-Fux-Gesellschaft. Jahresgabe 26, ZDB -ID 748844-0 ). Graz, Johann Joseph Fux Society 2003.

swell

• Emmerig 1984, Grove Music Online, MGG, primary sources
• Ulrich Kaiser (Ed.): Musiktheoretische Quellen 1750-1800. Printed writings by J. Riepel, H. Chr. Koch, JF Daube and JA Scheibe (= Zeno.org 15). With a foreword and a bibliography by Stefan Eckert and Ulrich Kaiser. Directmedia, Berlin 2007, ISBN 978-3-89853-615-8 .

Web links

• Catalog raisonné in the international dictionary of sources RISM
• Digitized works by Riepel - SICD of the Universities of Strasbourg
• Literature by and about Joseph Riepel in the catalog of the German National Library