Born in Berlin, Sachs studied piano, music theory and composition as a youth in that city. However, his doctorate from Berlin University (where he was later professor of musicology) in 1904 was on the history of art, with his thesis on the sculpture of Verrocchio. He began a career as an art historian, but promptly became more devoted to music, eventually being appointed director of the Staatliche Instrumentensammlung, a large collection of musical instruments. He reorganised and restored much of the collection, and his career as an organologist began.[1]
In 1913, Sachs saw the publication of his book Real-Lexicon der Musikinstrumente, probably the most comprehensive survey of musical instruments in 200 years. The following year, he and Erich Moritz von Hornbostel published the work for which they are probably now best known in Zeitschrift für Ethnologie, a new system of musical instrument classification. It is today known as the Sachs-Hornbostel system. It has been much revised over the years, and has been the subject of some criticism, but it remains the most widely used system of classification by ethnomusicologists and organologists.
When the Nazis came to power in 1933, Sachs was dismissed from his posts in Germany by the Nazi Party because he was a Jew. As a result, he moved to Paris, and later to the United States, where he settled in New York City. From 1937 to 1953 he taught at New York University, and also worked at the New York Public Library. In 1953, he was appointed adjunct professor at Columbia University, a post he held until his death in 1959. He was a member of the American Musicological Society and served as president from 1948 to 1950.
His numerous books include works on rhythm, dance and musical instruments, with his The History of Musical Instruments (1940), a comprehensive survey of musical instruments worldwide throughout history, seen as one of the most important. The long relationship he had with W. W. Norton & Company began with The Rise of Music in the Ancient World (1943).[2] Although these works have been superseded by more recent research in some respects, they are still seen as essential texts in the field.[3]
Sachs died in 1959 in New York City. In honor of Sachs' legacy, the American Musical Instrument Society established the in 1983, which it gives each year to an individual who has made significant contributions to field of organology.
^Allen, Warren Dwight (1962), "Philosophies of Music History - A Study of General Histories of Music - 1600-1960", pg vi, Dover 0-486-20282-8
^Marcel-Dubois, Claudie. "Curt Sachs." Journal of the International Folk Music Council 12 (1960): 88-9. (Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/835452)
Further reading
Bredow, Moritz von. 2012. "Rebellische Pianistin. Das Leben der Grete Sultan zwischen Berlin und New York." (Biography). Schott Music, Mainz, Germany. ISBN978-3-7957-0800-9 (Contains important references to Curt Sachs, who became a most helpful friend of pianist Grete Sultan, as Professor in Berlin and New York).
Curt Sachs card files Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library.
January 20, 2023
curt, sachs, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, 2007, learn, w. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Curt Sachs news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2007 Learn how and when to remove this template message Curt Sachs German zaks 29 June 1881 5 February 1959 was a German musicologist He was one of the founders of modern organology the study of musical instruments Among his contributions was the Hornbostel Sachs system which he created with Erich von Hornbostel Curt SachsSachs in 1935Born 1881 06 29 June 29 1881Berlin German EmpireDiedFebruary 5 1959 1959 02 05 aged 77 New York New York USAcademic backgroundEducationFranzosisches GymnasiumAlma materBerlin UniversityAcademic workDisciplineOrganologyInstitutionsStaatliche Instrumentensammlung New York UniversityNotable works Systematik der Musikinstrumente 1914 The History of Musical Instruments 1940 Contents 1 Biography 2 See also 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksBiography EditBorn in Berlin Sachs studied piano music theory and composition as a youth in that city However his doctorate from Berlin University where he was later professor of musicology in 1904 was on the history of art with his thesis on the sculpture of Verrocchio He began a career as an art historian but promptly became more devoted to music eventually being appointed director of the Staatliche Instrumentensammlung a large collection of musical instruments He reorganised and restored much of the collection and his career as an organologist began 1 In 1913 Sachs saw the publication of his book Real Lexicon der Musikinstrumente probably the most comprehensive survey of musical instruments in 200 years The following year he and Erich Moritz von Hornbostel published the work for which they are probably now best known in Zeitschrift fur Ethnologie a new system of musical instrument classification It is today known as the Sachs Hornbostel system It has been much revised over the years and has been the subject of some criticism but it remains the most widely used system of classification by ethnomusicologists and organologists When the Nazis came to power in 1933 Sachs was dismissed from his posts in Germany by the Nazi Party because he was a Jew As a result he moved to Paris and later to the United States where he settled in New York City From 1937 to 1953 he taught at New York University and also worked at the New York Public Library In 1953 he was appointed adjunct professor at Columbia University a post he held until his death in 1959 He was a member of the American Musicological Society and served as president from 1948 to 1950 His numerous books include works on rhythm dance and musical instruments with his The History of Musical Instruments 1940 a comprehensive survey of musical instruments worldwide throughout history seen as one of the most important The long relationship he had with W W Norton amp Company began with The Rise of Music in the Ancient World 1943 2 Although these works have been superseded by more recent research in some respects they are still seen as essential texts in the field 3 Sachs died in 1959 in New York City In honor of Sachs legacy the American Musical Instrument Society established the Curt Sachs Award in 1983 which it gives each year to an individual who has made significant contributions to field of organology See also EditBerlin Musical Instrument Museum State Institute for Music ResearchReferences Edit Curt Sachs Encyclopaedia Britannica 7 August 2014 http www britannica com EBchecked topic 515266 Curt Sachs Allen Warren Dwight 1962 Philosophies of Music History A Study of General Histories of Music 1600 1960 pg vi Dover 0 486 20282 8 Marcel Dubois Claudie Curt Sachs Journal of the International Folk Music Council 12 1960 88 9 Stable URL https www jstor org stable 835452 Further reading EditBredow Moritz von 2012 Rebellische Pianistin Das Leben der Grete Sultan zwischen Berlin und New York Biography Schott Music Mainz Germany ISBN 978 3 7957 0800 9 Contains important references to Curt Sachs who became a most helpful friend of pianist Grete Sultan as Professor in Berlin and New York External links Edit Wikiquote has quotations related to Curt Sachs Works by or about Curt Sachs at Internet Archive Curt Sachs card files Jerome Robbins Dance Division The New York Public Library Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Curt Sachs amp oldid 1121609222, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
