Schweitzer, Albert

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Schweitzer, Albert

Schweitzer, Albert, famous Alsatian theologian, philosopher, medical missionary, organist, and music scholar; b. Kaysersberg, Jan. 14, 1875; d. Lambaréné, Gabon, Sept. 4, 1965. He studied piano as a child with his father, a Lutheran pastor, then began organ studies at 8, his principal mentors being Eugen Munch in Mulhouse, Ernst Munch in Strasbourg, and Widor in Paris. He pursued training in philosophy (Ph.D., 1899) and theology (Ph.D., 1900) at the Univ. of Strasbourg; also received instruction in theory from Jacobsthal in Strasbourg and in piano from Philipp and M. Jäell in Paris. In 1896 he became organist of the Bach Concerts in Strasbourg; also joined the faculty of the Univ. there in 1902, where he also completed his full medical course (M.D., 1912); concurrently was organist of the Bach Soc. in Paris (1905–13). In 1913 he went to Lambaréné in the Gabon province of French Equatorial Africa, and set up a jungle hospital, which subsequently occupied most of his time and energy. However, he continued to pursue his interest in music, theology, and philosophy, making occasional concert tours as an organist in Europe to raise funds for his hospital work among the African natives. In 1952 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, the only professional musician to hold this prestigious award. His philosophical and theological wtitings had established his reputation as one of the foremost thinkers of his time. In the field of music he distinguished himself as the author of one of the most important books on Bach, greatly influencing the interpretation of Bach’s music, and contributing to the understanding of Bach’s symbolic treatment of various musical devices. He ed. J.S. Bach: Complete Organ Works: A Critico-practical Edition (N.Y.; vols. I-V, 1912–14, with C. Widor; vols. VI–VIII, 1954–67, with E. Nies-Berger).

Writings

Eugène Munch, 1857–1898 (Mulhouse, 1898); J.S. Bach, le musicien-poète (Paris, 1905; aug. Ger. eds., 1908, 1915; Eng. tr. by E. Newman, 2 vols., Leipzig, 1911); Deutsche und französische Orgelbaukunst und Orgelkunst (Leipzig, 1906; second ed., 1927); Aus meiner Kindheit und Jugendzeit (Bern and Munich, 1924; Eng. tr., 1924, as Memoirs of Childhood and Youth); Aus meinem Leben und Denken (Leipzig, 1931; Eng. tr., 1933); also various theological and philosophical books. A complete German ed. of his writings was ed. by R. Grabs (5 vols., Munich, 1974).

Bibliography

C. Campion, A. S.: Philosopher, Theologian, Musician, Doctor (N.Y., 1928); J. Regester, A. S.: The Man and His Work (N.Y., 1931); M. Ratter, A. S. (London, 1935; rev. ed., 1950); A. Roback, ed., The A. S. Jubilee Book (Cambridge, Mass., 1946); H. Hagedorn, Prophet in the Wilderness: The Story of A. S. (N.Y., 1947); O. Kraus, A. S.: His Work and His Philosophy (N.Y., 1947); G. Seaver, A. S.: The Man and His Mind (London, 1947); R. Grabs, A. S.: Weg und Werk eines Menschenfreundes (Berlin, 1953); R. Sonner, S. und die Orgelbewegung (Colmar, 1955); W. Picht, The Life and Thought of A. S. (N.Y., 1965); E. Jacobi, A. S. und die Musik (Wiesbaden, 1975); S. Hanheide, Johann Sebastian Bach im Verständis A. S.s (Munich, 1990); K. and A. Bergel, eds., A. S. and Alice Ehlers: A Friendship in Letters (Lanham, Md., 1991); H. Schützeichel, Die Konzerttätigkeit A. S.s (Bern, 1991); idem, Die Orgel im Leben und Denken A. S.s (Kleinblittersdorf, 1991); M. Murray, A. S., Musician (Aldershot, 1994).