The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Spitta, Julius August Philipp
SPITTA, Julius August Philipp, German
musical historian: b. Wechold, Hanover, 27
Dec. 1841; d. Berlin, 13 April 1894. He was
educated at the University of Göttingen. He
engaged in teaching, meantime making a study
of the history of music and musicians. The
appearance of the first volume of his life of
Bach (2 vols., 1873-82) brought him immediate
recognition, and in 1875 he was appointed
professor of musical history at the University of
Berlin, and perpetual secretary to the Academy
of Arts there. He was also connected with
the High School of Music from 1875, and
from 1882 was a permanent director. He wrote
the biographies of Bach and Schumann for the
‘Musikalische Vorträge,’ as well as the article
on Spontini for that work. He was co-editor
of Vierteljahrsschrift für Musikwissenschaft;
edited the organ works of Buxtehude (2 vols.,
1875-76); and the complete edition of the
works of Heinrich Shültz.