News archive
New publication about Friedrich Ludwig Æmilius Kunzen, a composer of two nations
Melanie Wald-Fuhrmann and Christiane Wiesenfeldt, eds, Der Komponist Friedrich Ludwig Æmilius Kunzen (1761-1817): Gattungen, Werke, Kontexte. Cologne: Böhlau Verlag, 2015. ISBN 978-3-412-22275-8 Friedrich Ludwig Æmilius Kunzen was mainly active in Denmark even though he was born in Lübeck to a family that included organists at St. Mary’s Church. In 1785...
27 May 2016 – New publications
Digitized Irish Music Project
The following was originally published by the Research Foundation for Music in Ireland and is reprinted here with kind permission: The library of the DIT Conservatory of Music & Drama has a specialised collection of the music composed in Ireland, about Ireland and by Irish composers which has developed through...
23 May 2016 – Electronic resources
Results of the RISM User Survey Published
We are pleased to present the results of the RISM catalog survey, available on the RISM Survey page: The RISM Online User Survey: Report (May 2016; also available in German) The survey was conducted from October 30, 2014 until February 28, 2015. We received a total of 551 responses from...
17 May 2016 – New publications
Pentecost and Music
For many, “Pentecost” (Whitsun) and “music” call to mind the striking setting of the Pentecost hymn Veni Creator Spiritus in Gustav Mahler’s Eighth Symphony. A look in the RISM database shows the versatile musical forms the text has taken. The 1,276 RISM records range from Heinrich Finck (ca. 1444-1527), who...
12 May 2016 – Events
Joo Su-won (朱壽元, 1910 - 2003)
Our occasional series RISM A–Z brings you the following guest post by JeongYoun Chang of RISM South Korea. Joo Su-won was born in Changwon, located in the southern part of South Korea. She graduated from Chungshin Girls’ School (貞信女學校) and Ewha College (梨花女子專門學校), and had been an English teacher at...
9 May 2016 – RISM A-Z
Musical Greetings for Mother's Day
This Sunday, Mother’s Day will be celebrated in dozens of countries around the world, including here in Germany. Cards and flowers are usually a must on the second Sunday in May, but at RISM we have some suggestions for brightening the day with music. Mother’s Day is only about 100...
6 May 2016 – Events
Five opera premieres to look forward to in May
For opera lovers looking for rarely heard gems, the month of May will not disappoint. Take a look at these five, which also have autograph manuscripts in the RISM database. Vincenzo Bellini: Adelson e Salvini May 11, The Barbican, London Autograph sketches in Berlin (RISM ID no. 464120091) The opera...
2 May 2016 – Events
Vratislavia, Brassel, Breslau, Wrocław, or "WrocLove"
The fourth-largest city in Poland has worn many names over the course of its storied past. This year, Wrocław is one of the two European Capitals of Culture, along with Donostia-San Sebastián in Spain. The full calendar of events and more information about the Polish city can be found on...
28 April 2016 – In the news
326 Years of Gottlieb Muffat (1690-1770)
Today we are celebrating the 326th anniversary of the day that Gottlieb Muffat (1690-1770) was baptized, the closest we have to a date of birth. “The Famously Little-Known Gottlieb Muffat” is the name of an essay by Alison J. Dunlop that nicely sums up the contradiction between the fame of...
25 April 2016 – Musical anniversaries
Shakespeare 400 in Music
Around the world, playwrights, thespians, and lovers of English literature are celebrating William Shakespeare (1564-1616), who died 400 years this Saturday. (His 452nd birthday is next Tuesday.) The Bard left us a legacy that is treasured worldwide and he works still inspire music to this day. With just one exception,...
21 April 2016 – Musical anniversaries