Michael Wittmann (musicologist)

Michael Wittmann (* 1956 in Heilbronn ) is a German musicologist .

Wittmann studied musicology from 1975 to 1980 (with Hans Heinrich Eggebrecht ), philosophy and history at the Albert Ludwigs University in Freiburg im Breisgau . From 1980 to 1983 and 1987 he was a scholarship holder of the German Historical Institute Rome (DHI). In 1986 he received his doctorate in Freiburg. From 1987 to 1990 he was a fellow of the German Research Foundation (DFG). A research stay in Italy followed.

Wittmann has been a research assistant at the Musicological Institute of the Free University of Berlin since 1991. He has published works on the history of music theory in the Middle Ages, the history of operas in the 19th and 20th centuries, and the history of music in Berlin. Wittmann strives for a close connection between music research and musical practice. As a scientific advisor to the Berolina Ensemble, he initiated the re-performance of forgotten composers such as Iwan Müller , Ernst Rudorff , Waldemar von Baußnern and Conrad Ansorge ; In the same capacity, Wittmann initiated the rediscovery of operas by Saverio Mercadantes , Michele Carafas and Francesco Morlacchis for the Rossini Festival in Bad Wildbad . His editions of Otto Nicolai's previously lost operas Il templario and The Homecoming of the Banished have led to a reassessment of this composer. (These and other editions were published by mw.musikverlag, which he runs). Since 2012 he has been the editor of the posthumous works of Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek , which appear in the Editio Reznicek ( Wedemark ).

Publications (selection)

• Michael Wittmann: Vox atque sonus. Studies on the reception of the Aristotelian script " De anima " and its significance for music theory , Pfaffenweiler: Centaurus-Verlags-Gesellschaft ( musicological studies ; 4), (Freiburg, Univ., Diss., 1986). ISBN 3-89085-188-6
• Riflessioni per una rivalutazione delle composizioni operistiche di Saverio Mercadante. In: Gian Luca Petrucci, Giacinto Moramarco (ed.): Saggi su Saverio Mercadante. Cassano delle Murge, Messagi 1992, pp. 15-29.
• Meyerbeer e Mercadante? The reception of Meyerbeer in Italia. In: Cambridge Opera Journal , 5/2 (1993), pp. 115-132.
• The image of the Italian opera as reflected in the criticism of the “Leipziger Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung”. In: MT Muraro (ed.): Le Parole della Musica. Studi in onore di Gianfranco Folena , Firenze 1995, pp. II, 195-226.
• Giovanni Simone Mayr's opera Medea in Corinto in the context of the Medea settings of the 19th century. In: Franz Hauk , Iris Winkler (ed.): Work and life of Johann Simon Mayr in the mirror of time , Munich-Salzburg, 1998, pp. 105–119.
• Article Saverio Mercadante. In: S. Sadie (Ed.): The New Groves Dictionary of Music and Musicians , 7th. Edition, London 2001, Vol. 16, pp. 438-448.
• Article Saverio Mercadante ; Elisa e Claudio ; Donna Caritea ; Il giuramento ; La vestale ; Il reggente ; Orazi e Curiazi ; Pelagio ; Luigi Ricci ; Crispino e la Comare ; Giovanni Pacini ; L'ultimo giorno di Pompei ; Il corsaro ; Saffo ; Amilcare Ponchielli ; I promessi sposi ; La Gioconda . In: Elisabeth Schmierer (Hrsg.): Lexikon der Oper , 2 Bde., Laaber 2002.
• Liberalism in ancient garb. Mercadante's Metastasio scoring for Lisbon (1828) in the political context of its time. In: Peter Csobàdi u. a. (Ed.): Political Myths and National Identities in (Music) Theater. Lectures and discussions of the Salzburg Symposium 2001 , Word and Music 54, Salzburg 2003, Volume II, pp. 461–470.
• Franz Xaver Scharwenka - composer from Poznan. In: T. Mäkelä / TR Klein (ed.): Multilingualism and regional ties in music and literature , Interdisciplinary Studies on Music 1, Frankfurt 2004.
• Article Saverio Mercadante. In: L. Finscher (ed.): The music in history and present, Personalteil 12 , Kassel ² 2004, pp. 1–16.
• The distant sound of jazz - comments on Ernst Krenek's contemporary opera “Jonny plays up”. In: Markus Engelhardt : Festschrift Wolfgang Witzenmann , Analecta musicologica 36, ​​Laaber 2005, pp. 567-581.
• The misunderstood main work? On the creation of Otto Nicolai's opera Il proscritto / The Exile (Milan 1841 / Berlin 1849). In: Th. Betzwieser (among others): Bühnenklänge. Festschrift for Sieghart Döhring on the occasion of his 65th birthday , Munich 2005.
• Michele Carafa, I due Figaro (Milano 1820), program booklet Bad Wildbad 2006. (Extended version as a booklet for the DVD of this production by BONGIOVANNI).
• Saverio Mercadante, Don Chisciotte alle nozze di Gamaccio , Bad Wildbad 2007 program booklet (extended version as a booklet for the CD of this production at NAXOS).
• Is Martinů a Czech composer? Necessary remarks on a sensitive subject. (In print)
• Otto Nicolai. Il Templario (Torino 1840). Notes of a Rediscovery. Program brochure Städtisches Theater Chemnitz March 2008.
• Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek, gasoline , program booklet Chemnitz November 2010.
• Saverio Mercadante, I due Figaro , program booklet Salzburg Festival, Whitsun 2011.
• Otto Nicolai, The Homecoming of the Banished, Donizetti Society, Newsletter 113 [2011], pp. 20–29.
• Saverio Mercadante, I briganti, Bad Wildbad 2012 program booklet (extended version as CD booklet).
• Notes on the world premiere of Saverio Mercadante's opera Francesca da Rimini (Madrid 1830), newsletter of the Friends of Gaetano Donizetti's music No. 01/2012. (Reprinted in Festschrift Becker).
• Francesco Morlacchi - A Revision Case for Music History. In: Weberiana 25, (Ed. Frank Ziegler), Berlin 2015, pp. 59–88.
• Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek and the Permanent Council for International Cooperation of Composers . (Reznicek Studies 1), Wedemark 2015.
• Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek. A research report , Reznicek studies 2, Musikverlag HM Fehrmann, Wedemark 2015.
• Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek. Building blocks for his biography, Reznicek Studies 3, Musikverlag HM Fehrmann, Wedemark 2018.
• Notes on the modern premiere of Saverio Mercadante's opera Didone abbandonata , Donizetti Society Newsletter 135, London 2018, pp. 12–18.

Editions (selection)

• Piano concerto op 19 (1924) by Conrad Ansorge
• Omaggio al immortale Rossini by Saverio Mercadante
• Two potpourris for oboe and small orchestra by Saverio Mercadante
• Symphony A Rossini by Saverio Mercadante
• Il templario . Opera in three acts by Otto Nicolai
• Il proscritto / The return of the exile. Opera in three acts by Otto Nicolai
• Allegro alla Polacca for string quartet by Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek
• The golden calf ballet in four pictures (1935) by Viggo Cavling. Music by Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek
• The red sarafan for military orchestra by Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek
• Serious waltz for orchestra by Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek
• Festival overture Dem Liberated Cologne by Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek
• Peace - a vision for acc. Choir, organ and orchestra by Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek
• Prayer from the opera Emerich Fortunat by Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek arranged for a military orchestra
• Grünne march for military orchestra by Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek
• In memoriam - Supplementum (1928/36) by Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek
• Cantata On Eternal Peace by Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek
• Concert piece for violin and orchestra by Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek
• Mea culpa - Prelude to The Sacrifice by Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek
• March (1915) for piano / military orchestra by Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek
• Prelude and fugue for orchestra in C sharp minor (1st version) by Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek
• Prelude and fugue for orchestra in C sharp minor (2nd version) by Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek
• Prelude and whole-tone fugue in C minor by Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek
• Potpourri from The Whimsical Tales of Kapellmeister Kreisler for Salon Orchestra by Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek
• Overture & music between acts from The Lost Bride by Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek
• Raskolnikoff Overture No. 1 (1925) by Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek
• Fame and Eternity - Four monologues [based on Friedrich Nietzsche] for alto / baritone and orchestra by Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek
• String Quartet [No. 2] in c sharp minor by Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek
• String Quartet [No. 5 E minor] by Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek
• Suite from The Best Police for string orchestra by Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek
• Valse pathetique for orchestra / salon orchestra / piano by Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek
• Four prayer and penance songs for alto / baritone and orchestra by Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek
• Waltz serenade for piano trio by Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek
• How Till Eulenspiegel lived on Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek
• Two ballads from the Frederician era for bass and orchestra by Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek
• Hymn for constitution celebrations (1928) by Waldemar von Baußnern

Web links

• Michael Wittmann's profile on blogger.com
• MW music publisher
• Nicolai Award 2010
• Franz Xaver Scharwenka - composer from Posen (2002) on the website of the Scharwenka Foundation in Bad Saarow (PDF)