Zum gegenwärtigen Stand der Schütz-Biographik

Abstract

Using the criteria of objectivity and freedom from tendentious, anachronistic views on the philosophical roles of composers and their music, a critique of several studies and biographies on Schütz and his works is given. Part 1 covers the four Schütz biographies that were issued or reissued as monographs in the festival year of 1985 by Otto Brodde, Heinz Krause-Graumnitz, Siegfried Köhler, and Martin Gregor-Dellin. Part 2 discusses several studies important for the rebirth of Schütz scholarship after 1950 and summarizes existing shortcomings, some of which are dealt with in detail in Part 4. Part 3 outlines the results of recent research and new questions. Finally, Part 5 takes up the question of Schütz's underlying stylistic posture in the upheavals of the 17th c., i.e., his relation to the Renaissance and Baroque.