Wilhelm Wieprecht (1802-1872): Correspondence and writings (Edition)

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Achim Hofer
• Subject Area: Musicology
• Term: from 2016 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 317448120

The objective is a detailed and scientific edition of Wilhelm Wieprecht's (1802-1882) correspondence and writings. As inventor of the bass tuba, director of music, Kapellmeister, arranger, composer, and reformer of Prussian military music, he was a key figure of Berlin court music. He maintained personal contacts with leading politicians and renowned persons of cultural and musical life, including Spontini, Meyerbeer, Liszt, Mendelssohn Bartholdy, and Wagner. His great work in this regard is largely unknown in music research. Against this background the already advanced edition is supposed to povide so far unknown informations for future musicological and military historical works as well as cultural studies on Wieprecht and his network of music, culture, politics and the military. Furthermore the edition supports a more detailed research on public musical life within the context of military concerts, national education, patriotism and, above all, the popularisation of art and operatic music by military bands.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants