Rudolf Westphal

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Rudolf Westphal

Rudolf Georg Hermann Westphal (born July 3, 1826 in Obernkirchen , † July 10, 1892 in Stadthagen ) was a German classical philologist . He dealt with comparative linguistics, ancient metrics, grammar and music theory.

Life

Rudolf Westphal, the son of a Markscheider , came from a Schaumburg family of scholars and pastors. After his first lessons with his father and elementary school, he attended the princely high school in Bückeburg from 1841. From his teachers there he received decisive suggestions for his further career. But since his Bückeburg school-leaving certificate would not have been recognized in Kurhessen, he switched to the Ernestinum Rinteln . After graduation (Easter 1845) he moved to the University of Marburg and studied theology at his parents' request. During his studies in 1845 he became a member of the Alemannia Marburg old fraternity .

Westphal came from theology through the lectures of the Old Testament scholar and linguist Johann Gildemeister to the languages ​​of the Orient. He learned Arabic and Sanskrit , as well as Old Norse, Anglo-Saxon, Gothic and Celtic and Slavic languages from Franz Dietrich . Westphal did not concentrate on classical philology until 1846 when he met fellow student August Rossbach (1823–1898). Both dealt with ancient music and comparative linguistics, especially with the metric of the Avesta , which Westphal was the first to systematically explain.

Westphal and Rossbach both embarked on academic careers. In 1851 they went to the University of Tübingen together , where they received their doctorate and habilitation in 1852 in quick succession . Her publications in the following years were eagerly discussed in the professional world. Westphal's discovery of the final law in Gothic was confirmed by Jacob Grimm , among others . The University of Tübingen awarded Westphal the title of extraordinary professor in 1854.

When August Rossbach was appointed full professor of philology and archeology at the University of Breslau in 1856, Westphal followed him. He held lectures as a private lecturer and was appointed associate professor at the end of 1857. Westphal was popular with the students. His theses remained controversial in the professional world and there was no indication that Westphal would be appointed to a chair.

For financial reasons, Westphal left the university in 1862 and returned to his parents' house in Obernkirchen. He lived for several years as a private scholar and devoted himself exclusively to his research. He later moved to Halle an der Saale , where there was a large university library. Here he met the philologist Wilhelm Studemund (1843–1889) and the writer Fritz Reuter , with whom he has been in close contact and exchange ever since. In 1868 Westphal moved to Jena, where he met the philology professors Conrad Bursian and Moriz Schmidt . In 1872 these gave Westphal a position as a high school teacher at the knight school in Fellin in Livonia. A year later, Westphal moved to the Gymnasium in Goldingen (Livonia), where he was able to continue his research work in addition to his lessons.

In 1874 Westphal was transferred to the academic department of the Imperial Lyceum in Moscow, where he taught Greek grammar and comparative linguistics. Here he was for the first time since he left Jena in what was for him a stimulating cultural and academic environment. During this time he came to his final thesis, in which he combined his views on ancient metrics and music with modernity and connected his principle of rhythm. With this he aroused numerous contradictions in public, especially from musicians such as Anton Rubinstein and Franz Liszt .

Since his health was badly affected by the Russian climate, Westphal tried to return to Germany. This was achieved in 1881, when his mother was able to suspend a pension for her son through a large inheritance. Westphal said goodbye in Moscow and moved to Leipzig as a private scholar, where his publishers were based - and a large university library . Here Westphal concentrated on his last major work on the music theorist Aristoxenus of Taranto , the first volume of which appeared in 1883. After a minor stroke in the autumn of 1883, Westphal decided to move to his home and to be close to his family. In October 1884 he moved to Bückeburg, a few years later to the neighboring town of Thagen. Here he died after a long illness on July 10, 1892.

Fonts (selection)

  • with August Rossbach: Metrics of the Greek playwrights and lyric poets along with the accompanying musical arts . 3 parts in 4 volumes, Leipzig 1854–1865.
    • 2nd edition under the title: Metrics of the Greeks in association with the other musical arts . 2 volumes, Leipzig 1867–1868.
    • 3rd edition under the title: Theory of the musical arts of the Hellenes . 3 parts in 4 volumes, Leipzig 1885–1889. Reprint Hildesheim 1966.
  • The fragments and the tenets of the Greek rhythmist . Leipzig 1861.
  • History of ancient and medieval music . Wroclaw 1865.
  • System of ancient rhythms . Wroclaw 1865.
  • Scriptores Metrici Graeci . 1 volume (no longer published), Leipzig 1866.
  • Catullus' poems translated and explained in their historical context . Wroclaw 1867.
  • Humorous lyric poetry of classical antiquity . Hall 1868.
  • Philosophical-historical grammar of the German language . Jena 1869.
  • Prolegomena to Aeschylus tragedies . Leipzig 1869.
  • Methodical grammar of the Greek language . 2 parts in 3 departments, Jena 1870–1872.
  • Theory of the New High German Metric . Jena 1870.
  • Comparative grammar of the Indo-European languages , one volume (no more published). Jena 1873.
  • General theory of musical rhythm since J. S. Bach on the basis of the ancient and with reference to their historical connection to the medieval with special consideration of Bach's fugues and Beethoven's sonatas . Leipzig 1880. Reprint Wiesbaden 1968.
  • The music of ancient Greece . Leipzig 1883.
  • Aristoxenus of Taranto. Melik and rhythm of classical Hellenism . 2 volumes, Leipzig 1883–1893. Reprint Hildesheim 1963.
  • Catullus Book of Songs . Leipzig 1884.
  • General metric of the Indo-European and Semitic peoples based on comparative linguistics . Berlin 1892.

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Fraternity leaves . XIV., Berlin 1900, p. 281.

Web links

Wikisource: Rudolf Westphal  - Sources and full texts
personal data
SURNAME Westphal, Rudolf
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Westphal, Rudolf Georg Hermann (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German classical philologist and university lecturer
DATE OF BIRTH July 3, 1826
PLACE OF BIRTH Obernkirchen
DATE OF DEATH July 10, 1892
Place of death Stadthagen