Schott, Bernhard

Schott, Bernhard, prominent German music publisher; b. Eltville, Aug. 10, 1748; d. Sandholf, near Heidesheim, April 26, 1809. He studied at the Univ. of Mainz, graduating as magister artium in 1771. He was granted a privilegium exclusivum and the title of music engraver to the elector in 1780. At his death, his sons, Johann Andreas (1781–1840) and Johann Joseph (1782–1855), carried on the business as B. Schotts Söhne. The 2 sons of Johann Andreas, Franz Philipp (b. July 30, 1811; d. May 8, 1874) and Peter (d. Paris, Sept. 20, 1894), continued the business; Peter was manager of the Paris and Brussels branches, and Franz Philipp was sole owner of the Mainz firm (from 1855). Peter Schott Jr. eventually became director, together with Franz von Landwehr and Ludwig Strecker (1853–1943); the latter’s sons, Ludwig Strecker (1883–1978) and Willy Strecker (1884–1958), became partners in the firm in 1920. The Schott catalogue is one of the richest in the world, publishing works by the great masters as well as by leading contemporary composers; among its critical editions are the complete works of Wagner, Schoenberg, and Hindemith. It also publ. the journals Cacilia (1824–48), Suddeutsche Musikzeitung (1852–69), and Melos (1920–34; 1946–74); the last was combined with the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik in 1974. The firm likewise publ. the famous Kiemann Musik- Lexikon.

Bibliography

Der Musikverlag B. S. (Mainz, 1954); H.-C. Müller, B. S., Hofmusikstecher in Mainz: Die Frühgeschichte seines Musikverlages bis 1797, mit einem Verzeichnis der Verlagswerke 1779–1797 (Mainz, 1977).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire