A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Kiesewetter, Raphael
KIESEWETTER, Raphael Georg, Edler von Wiesenbrunn (uncle to Ambros the historian of music), Imperial councillor, and learned author on musical subjects, born at Holleschau in Moravia, Aug. 29, 1773; settled in Vienna in 1794. In 1816 he began to form a collection of scores of the old masters, and made his house a rendezvous for the first musicians of Vienna. There also during Advent, Lent, and Holy Week, a first-rate amateur choir performed the principal works of the old Italian composers, and of Bach, Handel, etc. He died Jan. 1, 1850, at Baden (Beethoven's Baden) near Vienna, but was buried in the cemetery at Vienna, 'vor der Währinger Linie.' He was ennobled for his services as an official in the Kriegsrath, taking his title from his estate. Innumerable societies elected him a member in acknowledgement of his services as a musician. He left his musical MSS. and his correspondence with musical men of letters to Alois Fuchs, and to the court library his invaluable collection of scores, with the condition that they should be kept together as the 'Fond Kiesewetter.'
That he was a most prolific writer the following list of his printed works will show.
1. 'Die Verdienste der Niederländer am die Tonkunst' (received the gold prize-medal, Amsterdam 1828). 2. 'Geschichte der europaisch-abendländischen, das ist; unserer heutigen Musik' (Breitkopf & Härtel, 1834, 2nd ed. 1846). 3. 'Ueber die Musik der Neugriechen,' with remarks on ancient Egyptian and ancient Greek music; 3 treatises (ibid. 1828). 4. 'Guido von Arezzo,' life and works (Ibid. 1840). 5. 'Schicksale und Beschaffenheit des Weltlichen Gesanges,' from the early Middle Ages down to the discovery of the dramatic style and rise of opera (ibid. 1841). 6. 'Die Musik der Araber,' from original sources (Ibid. 1842). 7. Ueber das Leben, und die Werke Palestrina's,' a condensation of Baini's work left unpublished by Kandler; edited with preface and remarks (ibid, 1834). 8. 'Der neuen Aristoxenes zerstreute Aufsätze' (ibid. 1846). 9. 'Ueber die Octave des Pythagoras,' supplement to the preceding (Vienna 1848). 10. 'Catalog ueber die Sammlung der Partituren alter Musik,' etc.[1] (Vienna 1847), with preface and appendix 'Gallerie der alten Contrapunctisten,' a selection from their works, chronologically arranged. Also about 50 scattered articles in different periodicais, reviews, etc.
[ C. F. P. ]
- ↑ The scores left to the court library.