Peter Williams (14 May 1937 – 20 March 2016) was an English musicologist, author, harpsichordist, organist, and professor.[1] Williams was considered one of the leading scholars on the organ and the life and works of Johann Sebastian Bach.
Peter Fredric Williams was born in Wolverhampton, England on 14 May 1937 to a Methodist family. He received a Bachelor of Arts (1958), Bachelor of Music (1959), Master of Arts (1962), and a PhD (1963) at St. John's College in Cambridge. Williams became a lecturer at the University of Edinburgh in 1962, eventually becoming a reader in 1972, then a professor ten years later, where he held the first chair in performance practice in the UK. He was made Distinguished Professor of Arts and Sciences at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina in 1985. Here, he was also chairman of the music department (1985–1988), university organist (1985–1990), and the director of the graduate center for performance practice studies (1990–1997). He was a professor at Cardiff University from 1996 to 2002, and served as chairman, subsequently President, of the British Institute of Organ Studies from 1996 to 2002. He was also a patron of the Cambridge Academy of Organ Studies, since its inception in 2004. Williams married in 1982, and had two sons, as well as a daughter and a son from a previous marriage.[1]
Research and publicationsedit
Williams was a prolific writer in the venues of organ and harpsichord building and performance. He published his first major writing, "The European Organ, 1450–1850" in 1966, and "Figured Bass Accompaniment" in 1970. He published his defining work, the three-volume "The Organ Music of J.S. Bach" through Cambridge University Press in the 1980s, then revised and combined these in a one-volume second edition in 2003.[2] It was here where Williams suggested that the famous Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 was probably not written for the organ, and possibly not by Bach. He further reiterated this statement in a 1981 article for the journal, Early Music.[3] He served as a general editor of 80 volumes of the Biblioteca Organologica series since 1966, and was a founding editor of The Organ Yearbook since 1969.[4][1]
Bibliographyedit
The European Organ 1450–1850 (London, 1966; 2nd edition, 1978, ISBN0713407530)
^Abstract from Peter Williams' article on Bach's BWV 565, in Early Music journal, pp. 330–337
^Obituary and biography at the Cardiff University website
External linksedit
Butt, John (8 April 2016). "Peter Williams Obituary: Perpetually inquiring scholar of the organ and of JS Bach". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
January 01, 1970
peter, williams, musicologist, peter, williams, 1937, march, 2016, english, musicologist, author, harpsichordist, organist, professor, williams, considered, leading, scholars, organ, life, works, johann, sebastian, bach, contents, life, education, research, pu. Peter Williams 14 May 1937 20 March 2016 was an English musicologist author harpsichordist organist and professor 1 Williams was considered one of the leading scholars on the organ and the life and works of Johann Sebastian Bach Contents 1 Life and education 2 Research and publications 3 Bibliography 4 References 5 External linksLife and education editPeter Fredric Williams was born in Wolverhampton England on 14 May 1937 to a Methodist family He received a Bachelor of Arts 1958 Bachelor of Music 1959 Master of Arts 1962 and a PhD 1963 at St John s College in Cambridge Williams became a lecturer at the University of Edinburgh in 1962 eventually becoming a reader in 1972 then a professor ten years later where he held the first chair in performance practice in the UK He was made Distinguished Professor of Arts and Sciences at Duke University in Durham North Carolina in 1985 Here he was also chairman of the music department 1985 1988 university organist 1985 1990 and the director of the graduate center for performance practice studies 1990 1997 He was a professor at Cardiff University from 1996 to 2002 and served as chairman subsequently President of the British Institute of Organ Studies from 1996 to 2002 He was also a patron of the Cambridge Academy of Organ Studies since its inception in 2004 Williams married in 1982 and had two sons as well as a daughter and a son from a previous marriage 1 Research and publications editWilliams was a prolific writer in the venues of organ and harpsichord building and performance He published his first major writing The European Organ 1450 1850 in 1966 and Figured Bass Accompaniment in 1970 He published his defining work the three volume The Organ Music of J S Bach through Cambridge University Press in the 1980s then revised and combined these in a one volume second edition in 2003 2 It was here where Williams suggested that the famous Toccata and Fugue in D minor BWV 565 was probably not written for the organ and possibly not by Bach He further reiterated this statement in a 1981 article for the journal Early Music 3 He served as a general editor of 80 volumes of the Biblioteca Organologica series since 1966 and was a founding editor of The Organ Yearbook since 1969 4 1 Bibliography editThe European Organ 1450 1850 London 1966 2nd edition 1978 ISBN 0713407530 Figured Bass Accompaniment 2 vols Edinburgh 1970 ISBN 0852240546 2nd edition 1972 Bach Organ Music London 1972 ISBN 0563103485 2nd edition 1974 A New History of the Organ From the Greeks to the Present Day London 1980 ISBN 0571114598 The Organ Music of J S Bach 1st edition in 3 volumes Cambridge 1980s BWV 525 598 802 805 etc 1980 ISBN 0521217237 BWV 599 771 etc 1980 ISBN 0521317002 A Background 1984 ISBN 0521379784 2nd edition in one volume 2003 ISBN 0521891159 As an editor Bach Handel Scarlatti Tercentenary Essays Cambridge 1985 ISBN 0521252172 Playing the Works of Bach Some Case Studies American Guild of Organists New York 1986 With Barbara Owen The Organ New Grove Musical Instruments Series London and New York 1988 ISBN 0333444469 With R Larry Todd editor Perspectives on Mozart Performance Cambridge 1991 ISBN 0521400724 Cambridge 2006 ISBN 0521024064 The Organ in Western Culture 750 1250 Cambridge 1993 ISBN 0521418437 The King of Instruments or How Do Churches Come to Have Organs London 1993 ISBN 0281046646 Bach The Goldberg Variations Cambridge University Press 2001 ISBN 0521807352 The Organ Music of J S Bach Cambridge 2003 ISBN 0521891159 The Life of Bach Cambridge 2004 ISBN 0521826365 1 J S Bach A Life in Music Cambridge 2007 ISBN 9780521870740 Bach A Musical Biography Cambridge 2016 ISBN 9781107139251 References edit a b c d Biography at bach cantatas com The Organ Music of J S Bach Cambridge 2003 ISBN 0 521 89115 9 Abstract from Peter Williams article on Bach s BWV 565 in Early Music journal pp 330 337 Obituary and biography at the Cardiff University websiteExternal links editButt John 8 April 2016 Peter Williams Obituary Perpetually inquiring scholar of the organ and of JS Bach The Guardian Retrieved 10 November 2021 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Peter Williams musicologist amp oldid 1222288477, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
