Naumann, Emil

1827-1888

Distinguished as an author of books on musical subjects and as a composer. Born in Berlin in 1827, the grandson of Johann Gottlieb Naumann. He received his first instruction at Bonn, from Johanna Matthieu and Franz Anton Ries. He then went to Frankfort and became the pupil of Schnyder von Wartensee and of Moser. At the Leipsic Conservatory he studied under Mendelssohn and Hauptmann. In 1856, as a result of his first attempt at musical literature, a study of church-music, he received the appointment in Berlin of Court director of sacred music. Three years later he was made Royal professor. He settled in Dresden in 1873, founded there a singing society, lectured at the Conservatory on music history and carried on his work as author and composer. In 1880 he succeeded W. Rust as organist at St. Thomas', Leipsic. He died in Dresden in 1888. Among his books is his well-known History of Music, translated into English by F. Praeger. This is an exhaustive and valuable work. Other notable works were his Die moderne musikalische Zopf, and Die Tonkunst in der Culturgeschichte. Dr. Naumann was the composer of a solemn mass, psalms, other church-music; symphonies; piano music; and songs.