Johann Adolph Scheibe : A Catalogue of His Works

Johann Adolph Scheibe (17081776) must be considered the most important composer and Kapellmeister in Denmark in the eighteenth century. Although he is mainly known for his critique of Johann Sebastian Bachs style of composition and, to a lesser extent, of Bach as a music theoretician, Scheibe was an immensely productive composer, producing two operas, a series of cantatas, works composed for special occasions, instrumentals and several song collections including childrens songs and songs to the freemasons. Scheibe also worked as a translator and wrote satires and was also engage in political discussions following the lifting of censorship in 1770. This is the first catalogue of Scheibes multi-faceted production. Though many of the musical works have been lost, the catalogue represents nevertheless a wealth of detail about the works and their framework as the majority of the librettos, which were handed out to the audience together with a ticket at the performances at the musical societies, are preserved. Comparing Scheibes music theoretical and aesthetic ideas, as they are expressed in the published texts, with the rather few musical works that have survived, one is able to form a good picture of his compositional approaches -- even in those works where only the text has been preserved. Thus the catalogue intends to rectify the many misconceptions that have been presented in the secondary literature throughout the last 240 years. The purpose of the catalogue is also to contribute to a more balanced view of Scheibes extensive work and importance for cultural life, in particular in regards to music, in Copenhagen and the Duchies during the eighteenth century. Hopefully it will also lead to the publication of more scholarly editions of Scheibes music.