Paul Steinitz

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Paul Steinitz (born August 25, 1909 in Chichester , † April 21, 1988 in Oxhey , Surrey ) is one of the pioneers of historical performance practice . He dedicated himself primarily to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach . In 1946 he founded the London Bach Society and the Steinitz Bach Players to perform Bach's music with authentic instruments and historical playing and singing techniques. In the course of 25 years he performed all of Bach's cantatas for the first time in London .

Youth and early career

(Charles) Paul (Joseph) Steinitz was born in Chichester in 1909 . His father was an Anglican clergyman. After leaving school he studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London , and with George Oldroyd . He studied organ and received the Associateship Diploma (ARCO) organ diploma in 1930 , and the Fellowship Diploma from the Royal College of Organists (FRCO) six months later . In the 1930s he was music director at St. Mary's Church in Ashford , Kent . In the following years he devoted himself to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and received his doctorate in 1940 at the University of London . After the founding of the London Bach Society in 1946 he was hired as music director at the historic Priory Church of St Bartholomew-the-Great in London (1949-1961) and was head teacher at Goldsmiths College of the University of London (1945-1977). From 1945 to 1984 he was professor at the Royal Academy of Music and from 1984 to 1988 Consultant Professor.

London Bach Society

In 1946 Paul Steinitz founded the Choir (South) London Bach Society . The aim of the group was to dedicate themselves to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach in its original form, without the exuberant style of romanticism that prevailed in Bach performances at the time. From 1950, Bach's music was sung in German . In 1952 Steinitz conducted the first performance of the St. Matthew Passion in its complete and original form in England. This work was performed annually by Steinitz. He was considered a pioneer of historical performance practice .

The choir was later renamed the "London Bach Society" (without the word "South"). Steinitz began performing all of Bach's 208 cantatas that have survived in London. He started this project in 1958 and completed it in 1987, two months before his death.

In 1968 he founded the Steinitz Bach Players, an instrumental group made up of professional musicians who sympathized with his ideas. Many concerts were performed together with the choir, with the vocal music of Bach and other baroque composers being performed. The performances of the St. Matthew Passion, and sometimes the St John Passion , had a permanent place on the London musical calendar. There were also concerts in other cities in southern England. Tours abroad took place, including the USA , Israel , Bulgaria and twice the GDR (1964 and 1983, both times in the Thomaskirche in Leipzig ).

Steinitz did not limit himself to the music of Bach, but he also conducted works by other composers of the Baroque era . He also conducted contemporary music, mostly world premieres by British composers. In 1956, Canticum Sacrum was performed by Stravinsky under guest conductor Robert Craft . Works by Bruno Maderna , Luigi Dallapiccola , Peter Maxwell Davies , John Tavener , Anthony Milner , Stanley Glasser (sung in the Zulu language ), Christopher Brown, Geoffrey Burgon and his own student Nicholas Maw were also performed.

Honors and private life

His understanding of baroque performance practice has been reported in various writings. To The New Oxford History of Music he contributed a chapter on German church music in the 18th century. He wrote textbooks on harmony and the books Bach's Passions , Bach for Choirs , and Performing Bach's Vocal Music .

Paul Steinitz was an honorary member of the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Organists . In Bach's 300th year of birth (1985) he was named Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).

Dr. Steinitz died in April 1988 in his country house built in the 18th century. He was a devout Quaker who was convinced throughout his life that music has the power to bring about peace between political camps.

A monument by Steinitz was unveiled in 1991 at St Bartholomew-the-Great Convent, West Smithfield, London.

Today the London Bach Society organizes a Bach Festival every year.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Steinitz, Paul
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British organist and conductor
DATE OF BIRTH August 25, 1909
PLACE OF BIRTH Chichester
DATE OF DEATH April 21, 1988
Place of death Oxhey, Surrey