Kirnberger, Johann Philipp
Kirnberger, Johann Philipp
Kirnberger, Johann Philipp, German music theorist, pedagogue, and composer; b. Saalfeld (baptized), April 24, 1721; d. Berlin, July 26 or 27, 1783. He received training in violin and harpsichord at home. After studying organ with J.P. Kellner in Gräfenroada, he went to Sondershausen in 1738 to study violin with Meil and organ with H.N. Gerber before completing his musical training with Bach in Leipzig (1739–41). In 1741 he went to Poland, where he was in the service of various noblemen until going to Dresden in 1751 to complete his violin training. From 1751 to 1754 he was a violinist in the Prussian royal chapel in Berlin, and then a member of the chapel of Prince Heinrich of Prussia from 1754 to 1758. From 1758 until his death he was in the service of Princess Anna Amalia of Prussia. He also numbered J.F. Agricola, C.P.E. Bach, the Graun brothers, and J.A.P. Schulz among his students. Kirnberger was highly regarded as a theorist by his contemporaries, even though his presentations were often so disorganized that he had to call upon others to edit or even rewrite his publications. Among his most important treatises was Die Kunst des reinen Satzes in der Musik (2 vols., Berlin and Königsberg, 1771, 1776-79; 2nd ed., 1793). His compositions are of little interest.
Writings
(all publ. in Berlin unless otherwise given); Der allezeit fertige Polonoisen- und Menuettencomponist (1757); Construction der gleichschwebenden Temperatur (1760); Die Kunst des reinen Satzes in der Musik, aus sicheren Grundsätzen hergeleitet und mit deutlichen Beispielen erläutert (2 vols., Berlin and Königsberg, 1771, 1776-79; 2nd ed., 1793); Die wahren Grundsätze zum Gebrauch der Harmonie…als ein Zusatz zu der Kunst der reinen Satzes in der Musik (Berlin and Königsberg, 1773; 2nd ed., 1793; written by J.A.P. Schulz under Kirnberger’s supervision); Grundsätze des Generalbasses als erste Linien zur Composition (1781); Gedanken über die verschiedenen Lehrarten in der Komposition, als Vorbereitung zur Fugenkenntniss (1782; 2nd ed., 1793); Anleitung zur Singcomposition mit Oden in verschiedenen Sylbenmassen begleitet (1782); Methode Sonaten aus’m Ermel zu schuddeln (1783).
Works
Allegro für das Ciavier alleine, wie auch für die Violin mit dem Violoncell zur accompagniren…componirt und vertheidigt (1759); Clavierübungen mit der Bachischen Applicatur in einer Folge von den leichtesten bis zu den schwerstein Stücken (1762–66); also various keyboard pieces, chamber music, cantatas, songs, etc.
Bibliography
A. Kirnberger, Geschichte der Familie K. (Mainz, 1922); S. Borris-Zuckermann, K.s Leben und Werk und seine Bedeutung für den Berliner Musikkreis urm 1750 (Kassel, 1930).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire