Hermann Abert facts for kids

Hermann Abert

Hermann Abert (born March 25, 1871 – died August 13, 1927) was an important German music historian. He spent his life studying and teaching about music, especially its history. He was known for his deep knowledge of how music developed over time.

Early Life and Studies

Hermann Abert was born in Stuttgart, Germany. His father, Johann Josef Abert, was a famous musician who served as the Hofkapellmeister (which means a court music director) in Stuttgart.

From 1890 to 1896, Hermann studied classical philology. This is the study of language and literature, especially ancient texts. He went to universities in Tübingen, Berlin, and Leipzig. While at Tübingen, he joined a student group called Akademische Gesellschaft Stuttgardia. This group helped shape his ideas about politics and freedom.

In 1896, he finished his studies in philology at the University of Halle. There, he focused on Ancient Greek music. After that, he spent three years in Berlin studying music theory. This is the study of how music works, including its rules and structures.

Career as a Professor

In 1902, Hermann Abert became a lecturer at the University of Halle. He earned this position by presenting his research on music of the Middle Ages. He stayed at Halle for many years. In 1910, he became a senior lecturer, and by 1918, he was a full professor.

In 1919, he moved to the University of Heidelberg to teach. But after only a year, he went to Leipzig in 1920. There, he took over from another famous music expert, Hugo Riemann.

In 1923, Abert was invited to teach at the University of Berlin. He was seen as the best person to take over from Hermann Kretzschmar, another important music theorist. At Berlin, he worked with other scholars on a big project called the Illustrated Dictionary of Music.

In 1925, Hermann Abert received a great honor. He was accepted into the Prussian Academy of Sciences. He was the first music theorist ever to be given this special membership.

Hermann Abert passed away in Stuttgart on August 13, 1927, when he was 56 years old.

Main Works

Hermann Abert wrote many important books and articles about music history. Some of his well-known works include:

• The Teaching of Ethics in Greek Music (1899)
• The Aesthetic Foundations of Medieval Melody (1902)
• A book about the composer Robert Schumann (1903)
• The Concept of Music in Mediaeval Times and its Principles (1905)
• Dramatic Music at the Court of Duke Karl Eugen of Württemberg (1905)
• A book about the opera composer Niccolò Jomelli (1905)
• A Gluck Annual (starting in 1914) and a Mozart Annual (1923)
• Johann Josef Abert: his Life and Work (1916) – This book was about his own father.
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: a Biography (1920) – This was a very important book, largely rewritten from an earlier work by Otto Jahn. It covered Mozart's life in two volumes.
• Goethe and Music (1922)
• Illustrated Music Dictionary (1927)
• Collected Writings and Lectures (published after his death in 1929)

See also

In Spanish: Hermann Abert para niños