Westphal, Rudolph Georg Hermann

1826-1892

 

German philologian, lecturer and teacher; author of a number of works on the rhythm and music of the ancients. He was born at Oberkirchen, Lippe-Schaumburg, and died at Stadthagen. At Marburg he pursued his studies, at Tubingen qualified as lecturer, taught at Breslau, Jena and Livland; in 1875 became professor at the Katkoff Museum, Moscow; in 1880 again took up residence in Germany. Riemann says Westphal's real field was ancient rhythm and metre; in the theory and history of ancient music his "bold method of combination and interpretation has, unfortunately, introduced great confusion." In connection with Rossbach he published Metrik der griechischen Dramatiker und Lyriker; published Die Fragmente und Lehrsatze der griechischen Rhythmiker, System der antiken Rhythmik, Geschichte der alten und mittelalterlichen Musik, Theorie der neuhochdeutschen Metrik, Die Elements des Musikalischen Rhythmus mit Rücksicht auf unsere Opernmusik, Allgemeine Theorie der musikalischen Rhythmik seit J. S. Bach, and other works.