Carl Josef Thiel (9 July 1862 − 23 July 1939) was a German

organist An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ (music), organ. An organist may play organ repertoire, solo organ works, play with an musical ensemble, ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumentalist, instrumental ...

church music Church music is Christian music written for performance in church, or any musical setting of ecclesiastical liturgy, or music set to words expressing propositions of a sacred nature, such as a hymn. History Early Christian music The onl ...

ian and professor of music.

Life

Born in Oleśnica Mała, Thiel was born as the son of the trained miller and

grain merchant The grain trade refers to the local and international trade in cereals and other food grains such as wheat, barley, maize, and rice. Grain is an important trade item because it is easily stored and transported with limited spoilage, unlike other ...

August Thiel and his second wife Regina Thiel, ''née'' Gebel. His mother's two brothers, Carl and Ignatz Gebel, worked as principal teachers and choir directors in

Ziębice Ziębice (german: Münsterberg) is a town in Ząbkowice Śląskie County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. The town lies on the Oława River, approximately east of Ząbkowice Śląskie and south of the regional capital ...

and

Parchwitz Prochowice (german: Parchwitz) is a town in Legnica County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It is the seat of the administrative district (gmina) called Gmina Prochowice. It lies approximately north-east of Legnica, and we ...

. Thiel received his first musical instruction from the

cantor A cantor or chanter is a person who leads people in singing or sometimes in prayer. In formal Jewish worship, a cantor is a person who sings solo verses or passages to which the choir or congregation responds. In Judaism, a cantor sings and lead ...

Scholz of his home parish. He was baptized catholic and grew up in

Lower Silesia Lower Silesia ( pl, Dolny Śląsk; cz, Dolní Slezsko; german: Niederschlesien; szl, Dolny Ślōnsk; hsb, Delnja Šleska; dsb, Dolna Šlazyńska; Silesian German: ''Niederschläsing''; la, Silesia Inferior) is the northwestern part of the ...

in simple circumstances. Nevertheless, he was able - just like his brother Reinhold, who was five years younger - to complete training as a primary school teacher. In 1876 he came to the Präparandenschule and afterwards to the in Oppeln. As a junior teacher Thiel taught at a village school in

Koszęcin Koszęcin (german: Koschentin) is a village in Lubliniec County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina (administrative district) called Gmina Koszęcin. It lies approximately south-east of Lubliniec and north o ...

, where he had his own

grand piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...

, and a little later in

Zabrze Zabrze (; German: 1915–1945: ''Hindenburg O.S.'', full form: ''Hindenburg in Oberschlesien'', Silesian: ''Zŏbrze'', yi, זאַבזשע, Zabzhe) is an industrial city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The west district of the Sil ...

(Mikultschütz).Verein für Regensburger Bistumsgeschichte: ''Beiträge zur Geschichte des Bistums Regensburg'', vol. 2, Verlag des Vereins für Regensburger Bistumsgeschichte (1990), page 672 f. At that time Thiel also played

viola The viola ( , also , ) is a string instrument that is bow (music), bowed, plucked, or played with varying techniques. Slightly larger than a violin, it has a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of ...

. After four and a half years as a teacher and a study leave granted to him in Berlin, he gave up the profession in 1888 and devoted himself to

Musical education

From 1887 to 1892 Thiel studied with

Woldemar Bargiel Woldemar Bargiel (3 October 182823 February 1897) was a German composer. Life Bargiel was born in Berlin, and was the younger maternal half-brother of Clara Schumann. Bargiel’s father Adolph was a well-known piano and voice teacher while his mo ...

at the

Royal Music Institute of Berlin The Königliches Musik-Institut Berlin (Royal Music Institute of Berlin) was a training centre for musicians and a predecessor of today's Institute for Church Music at the Berlin University of the Arts. History The institute was founded in 1822 ...

and worked and taught there as organist and choirmaster, initially in the emerging community of . From 1888 to 1891 he was instructed by

Heinrich Bellermann Johann Gottfried Heinrich Bellermann (10 March 1832 – 10 April 1903) was a German music theorist. He was the author of ''Der Contrapunkt'' ("Counterpoint"), 1862, (Berlin, Verlag von Julius Springer—2nd ed., 1877; 3rd ed., 1887; 4th ed., ...

historical musicology Musicology (from Ancient Greek, Greek μουσική ''mousikē'' 'music' and -λογια ''-logia'', 'domain of study') is the scholarly analysis and research-based study of music. Musicology departments traditionally belong to the humanities, a ...

and

counterpoint In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more musical lines (or voices) which are harmonically interdependent yet independent in rhythm and melodic contour. It has been most commonly identified in the European classical tradi ...

. In 1890 Thiel founded the ''Kirchliche Singschule'', a choir consisting of members - mainly teachers - of all Catholic parishes in Berlin. After his studies he was appointed "etatmäßiger Hilfslehrer" for

Gregorian chant Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic, unaccompanied sacred song in Latin (and occasionally Greek) of the Roman Catholic Church. Gregorian chant developed mainly in western and central Europe durin ...

at the institute in 1891. Among other things, he devoted himself intensively to the Gregorian chant, because in his opinion, of all

music genre A music genre is a conventional category that identifies some pieces of music as belonging to a shared tradition or set of conventions. It is to be distinguished from ''musical form'' and musical style, although in practice these terms are some ...

, this was best suited to the

liturgy Liturgy is the customary public ritual of worship performed by a religious group. ''Liturgy'' can also be used to refer specifically to public worship by Christians. As a religious phenomenon, liturgy represents a communal response to and partic ...

. In 1892 he started as a church musician in the parish church

St. Sebastian, Berlin St. Sebastian or the Sebastiankirche is a neo-Gothic Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expande ...

in Gesundbrunnen, where he already found a church choir. In 1898, the ''Kirchliche Singschule'' was renamed to ''Verein für klassische Kirchenmusik'', which consisted of the St. Sebastian choir. At the turn of the century Thiel lived in

Charlottenburg Charlottenburg () is a Boroughs and localities of Berlin, locality of Berlin within the borough of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf. Established as a German town law, town in 1705 and named after Sophia Charlotte of Hanover, Queen consort of Kingdom ...

Teaching Activities

After two years of collaboration with his teacher and the director of the Royal Institute of Church Music,

Hermann Kretzschmar August Ferdinand Hermann Kretzschmar (19 January 1848 – 10 May 1924) was a German musicologist and writer, and is considered a founder of hermeneutics in musical interpretation and study. Life and career Born in Olbernhau, Saxony, Kretz ...

, Thiel was appointed his representative in 1909. Together with Hermann Kretzschmar he founded the Madrigal Choir of the Academy and appeared several times as its conductor. He had to give up his activity as a church musician in St. Sebastian on 30 June 1910 due to the workload resulting from his teaching activities. He was appointed Professor of Music and, after Hermann Kretzschmar's illness, became Director of the now renamed ''State Academy for Church Music and School Music'' from 1922. In the 1920s, Thiel was one of the most important music educators in German musical life. From 1925 until his death he was a member of the

Preußische Akademie der Künste The Prussian Academy of Arts (German: ''Preußische Akademie der Künste'') was a state arts academy first established in Berlin, Brandenburg, in 1694/1696 by prince-elector Frederick III, in personal union Duke Frederick I of Prussia, and late ...

in Berlin.

End of life

When

Hans Joachim Moser Hans Joachim Moser (25 May 1889, Berlin''Die kleine Enzyklopädie'', Encyclios-Verlag, Zurich, 1950, Vol. 2, p. 202. – 14 August 1967, Berlin) was a German musicologist, composer and singer. Moser was the son of the music-professor Andreas Mos ...

became his successor as director of the State Academy after his retirement in 1927, Thiel went to

Regensburg Regensburg or is a city in eastern Bavaria, at the confluence of the Danube, Naab and Regen rivers. It is capital of the Upper Palatinate subregion of the state in the south of Germany. With more than 150,000 inhabitants, Regensburg is the f ...

and worked there at the . After three years there he was appointed by bishop

Michael Buchberger Michael Buchberger (8 June 1874, Jetzendorf – 10 June 1961, Straubing) was a Roman Catholic priest, notable as the seventy-fourth bishop of Regensburg since the diocese's foundation in 739. Life Buchberger was ordained as a priest on 29 Ju ...

and was also appointed director as successor to Karl Weinmann, who had already been provisionally represented by Peter Griesbacher. He held this position voluntarily and held it until the end of his life in 1939. By organizing a commemoration ceremony for

Max Reger Johann Baptist Joseph Maximilian Reger (19 March 187311 May 1916) was a German composer, pianist, organist, conductor, and academic teacher. He worked as a concert pianist, as a musical director at the Paulinerkirche, Leipzig, Leipzig University ...

and a ''celebration of German culture'' with Richard Wagner's ''

Parsifal ''Parsifal'' ( WWV 111) is an opera or a music drama in three acts by the German composer Richard Wagner and his last composition. Wagner's own libretto for the work is loosely based on the 13th-century Middle High German epic poem ''Parzival'' ...

'', Anton Bruckner's

Te Deum The "Te Deum" (, ; from its incipit, , ) is a Latin Christian hymn traditionally ascribed to AD 387 authorship, but with antecedents that place it much earlier. It is central to the Ambrosian hymnal, which spread throughout the Latin Chur ...

and works by Max Reger, he and his student

Theobald Schrems Theobald Schrems (17 February 1893 – 15 November 1963) was the founder of the ''Musikgymnasium der Regensburger Domspatzen'', a musical gymnasium for the boys' choir Regensburger Domspatzen at the Regensburg Cathedral. Career Schrems was bor ...

in 1933 strongly supported newer music. Thiel died unexpectedly during a spa stay in Bad Wildungen of a

stroke A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...

at the age of 77. He is buried in

Berlin-Tempelhof Tempelhof () is a locality of Berlin within the borough of Tempelhof-Schöneberg. It is the location of the former Tempelhof Airport, one of the earliest commercial airports in the world. The former airport and surroundings are now a park called ...

at the .

Activities

As the government's

bell A bell is a directly struck idiophone percussion instrument. Most bells have the shape of a hollow cup that when struck vibrates in a single strong strike tone, with its sides forming an efficient resonator. The strike may be made by an inter ...

expert, in 1916, Thiel saved several parishes from the

confiscation Confiscation (from the Latin ''confiscatio'' "to consign to the ''fiscus'', i.e. transfer to the treasury") is a legal form of seizure by a government or other public authority. The word is also used, popularly, of spoliation under legal forms, o ...

and melting down of their

church bell A church bell in Christian architecture is a bell which is rung in a church for a variety of religious purposes, and can be heard outside the building. Traditionally they are used to call worshippers to the church for a communal service, and t ...

s because of their beautiful sound or because of their artistic value.Clemens August Preising: ''Carl Thiel - A life for the musical culture of the German people'', Josef Habbel, Regensburg (1951) Among his Berlin organ students was from 1919 to 1920. The church musician Theobald Schrems passed the state examination for church and school music with him from 1925 to 1928. In Regensburg the curriculum of the church music school was fundamentally redesigned under Thiel's direction. He increased the duration of studies and tightened the entrance and final examinations, so that the church music school finally received state recognition. Furthermore, he united the Regensburg Church Music School with the

Regensburger Domspatzen The Regensburger Domspatzen (literally: Regensburg Cathedral Sparrows) is the cathedral choir at the Regensburg Cathedral in Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany. The boys' choir dates back to 975, and consists of boys and young men only. They perform in ...

of the

Regensburg Cathedral Regensburg Cathedral (german: Dom St. Peter or Regensburger Dom), also known as St. Peter's Cathedral, is an example of important Gothic architecture within the German state of Bavaria. It is a landmark for the city of Regensburg, Germany, and ...

. During the period of

National Socialism Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hit ...

Thiel took over the direction of the Fachschaft VI (Catholic Church Music) in the

Reichsmusikkammer The Reich Chamber of Music (German: ''Reichsmusikkammer'') was a Nazi Party, Nazi institution. It promoted "good German music" which was composed by Aryan race, Aryans and seen as consistent with Nazi ideals, while suppressing other, Degenerate musi ...

from 1933. Thiel dedicated his life to the promotion and cultivation of Gregorian chant. However, he was by no means limited to the occupation with

and was also engaged as a

musicologist Musicology (from Greek μουσική ''mousikē'' 'music' and -λογια ''-logia'', 'domain of study') is the scholarly analysis and research-based study of music. Musicology departments traditionally belong to the humanities, although some mu ...

. Thiel composed and arranged sacred

vocal music Vocal music is a type of singing performed by one or more singers, either with musical instruments, instrumental accompaniment, or without instrumental accompaniment (a cappella), in which singing provides the main focus of the piece. Music which ...

and published older ''

a-cappella ''A cappella'' (, also , ; ) music is a performance by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Rena ...

'' music. Some of his works still belong to the

repertoire A repertoire () is a list or set of dramas, operas, musical compositions or roles which a company or person is prepared to perform. Musicians often have a musical repertoire. The first known use of the word ''repertoire'' was in 1847. It is a l ...

of many

church choir A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which sp ...

s today.

Awards

In the

, a bronze bust of him was erected in the 1920s, which can still be seen today in the auditorium of this building which, as an ''Institute for Church Music'' is now part of the

Berlin University of the Arts The Universität der Künste Berlin (UdK; also known in English as the Berlin University of the Arts), situated in Berlin, Germany, is the largest art school in Europe. It is a public art and design school, and one of the four research universiti ...

. He has also been awarded the following honours: * 1893: Winner of the

Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Prize The Mendelssohn Scholarship, awarded by the Prussian State from 1879 to 1936, was revived in 1963 by the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation. The Foundation awards the Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Prize once a year per competition opened to parti ...

. * 1928: appointed honorary member of the Association of Berlin Protestant Church Musicians * 1932: appointed honorary member of the

Allgemeiner Cäcilien-Verband für Deutschland The Allgemeiner Cäcilien-Verband für Deutschland (General Association of the Cecilian Movement Germany) (abbreviated as ACV) was founded in 1868 and is an organization for choral singing of the Catholic Church. The official residence of the ACV ...

of the Archbishopric of Breslau * 1934: Appointment as knight of the

Order of St. Gregory the Great The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great ( la, Ordo Sancti Gregorii Magni; it, Ordine di San Gregorio Magno) was established on 1 September 1831, by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election as Pope. The order is one of ...

Pope The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...

Pius XI Pope Pius XI ( it, Pio XI), born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti (; 31 May 1857 – 10 February 1939), was head of the Catholic Church from 6 February 1922 to his death in February 1939. He was the first sovereign of Vatican City from ...

Work

Music

Choral work

Selection in alphabetical order: * ''12 lateinische Kirchengesänge'', including: ** ''Domine non sum dignus'' ** ''Hodie Christis natus est'' ** ''Improperien'' ** Haec Dies ** Lauda Sion * ''Abendlied'' from opus 8 * ''Acht Mariengesänge'' for four-part mixed choir, opus 16 * ''Adeste fideles'', setting of " Adeste fideles" for seven-part choir, from ''Zwei Weihnachtslieder'', opus 7 * Adorabo und Domine Deus, two motets for the parish fair, opus 13 * ''Ave Maria in Venedig'', a setting of

Ave Maria The Hail Mary ( la, Ave Maria) is a traditional Christian prayer addressing Mary, the mother of Jesus. The prayer is based on two biblical passages featured in the Gospel of Luke: the Angel Gabriel's visit to Mary (the Annunciation) and Mary's s ...

for women and men choir, opus 15, 1892 * ''Bonifatius-Messe'', opus 14 * ''Bußpsalm'' for mixed choir and orchestra (organ ''

ad libitum In music and other performing arts, the phrase (; from Latin for 'at one's pleasure' or 'as you desire'), often shortened to "ad lib" (as an adjective or adverb) or "ad-lib" (as a verb or noun), refers to various forms of improvisation. The r ...

''), opus 22 * ''Christ ist erstanden'', a setting of "

Christ ist erstanden "Christ ist erstanden" (Christ is risen) is a German Easter hymn, and is possibly the oldest Christian liturgical German song. It has inspired music by composers such as Ludwig Senfl and Heinrich Schütz (from the sixteenth and seventeenth centur ...

" * setting of "

Der Morgenstern ist aufgedrungen "" (The morning star is risen) is an Advent song and Christmas carol with lyrics by Lutheran minister Daniel Rumpius (or Rump), published first in 1587. The common melody by Michael Praetorius appeared later in 1609. It was reprinted, slightly rev ...

" * ''Deutsche Improperien'' for solo quartet and double choir, opus 28 * Domine Deus * ''Erlöser-Messe'', opus 25 * ''Erste Pfingstpredigt'', opus 26 * ''Es sungen drei Engel'' * setting of " Freu dich, Erd und Sternenzelt" * ''Geistliche Szene'' for soprano solo, male choir and mixed choir, opus 6 * ''Gott ist die Liebe'' * setting of "

Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier "" (I stand by your manger here) is a German Christmas hymn, with lyrics by Paul Gerhardt which were first published in 1653. It was then sung with an older melody by Martin Luther, but a melody which was likelyBernhard Leube"Das Kind und das Ich: ...

" for five-part choir * setting of "

In dulci jubilo "In dulci jubilo" (Latin for "In sweet rejoicing") is a traditional Christmas carol. In its original setting, the carol is a macaronic text of German and Latin dating from the Middle Ages. Subsequent translations into English, such as J. M. N ...

" * setting of " Jauchzet dem Herrn alle Welt" for seven-part mixed choir with organ or brass (2 trumpets and 3 trombones), opus 21 * ''Jesus und der Seesturm'', opus 11 * ''Krippenlied'' for four-part mixed choir

a cappella ''A cappella'' (, also , ; ) music is a performance by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Ren ...

, opus 7 * Laudate Dominum, ''Motette im alten Stil nach Motiven von Giovanni Gabrieli'', opus 32 * ''Loreto-Messe'', opus 17, 1897 * ''Maria: Kantate in sechs Bildern'' after

Friedrich Wilhelm Weber Friedrich Wilhelm Weber (25 December 1813 – 5 April 1894) was a German doctor, politician of the Prussian House of Deputies, and poet. Weber was born in Alshausen, near Bad Driburg, in Westphalia. His father was forester for the Count o ...

's "Marienblumen", for solos, choir and orchestra, opus 5 *# ''Die Mutter des Herrn'', Annunciation with Magnificat *# ''Unter der Palme'', Flight to Egypt *# ''Maria Spinnerin'' *# ''Nach Golgatha'' *# ''Voll der Schmerzen'' *# ''Die Mutter mit dem Sohne'', Coronation of Mary * Missa brevis for four-part mixed choir a cappella, opus 12, 1894 * ''Missa choralis'' with organ and three trombones, opus 18 * ''Missa simplicissima'', opus 20 * ''Offertorien'' from the ''Commune Sanctorum'' for mixed choir opus 24 * ''Ostergesang'' for four-part mixed choir, opus 30 * ''Preis sei Gott im höchsten Throne'' * ''Segne und behüte uns in Deiner Güte'' for five-part mixed choir ''a cappella'' * ''Täuschung'' from opus 8 * ''Vier größere Motetten'', opus 9: ** ''Jauchzet dem Herrn'', for six voices ** Credo, for five voices ** Miserere, setting of

Psalm The Book of Psalms ( or ; he, תְּהִלִּים, , lit. "praises"), also known as the Psalms, or the Psalter, is the first book of the ("Writings"), the third section of the Tanakh, and a book of the Old Testament. The title is derived ...

** ''Befestige, o Gott, was du in uns gewirkt hast'' * setting of " Vom Himmel hoch, ihr Engel kommt" * ''Wanderers Nachtlied'' after

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, and critic. His works include plays, poetry, literature, and aesthetic criticism, as well as trea ...

, 1921 * ''Zum neuen Jahr'' for four-part mixed choir

Lieder

* ''Drei Passionsgesänge'' for voice with organ accompaniment, opus 27, including: ** ''Es ist vollbracht'' with additional mixed choir * ''O du sonnige, wonnige Welt'' (

) for two Sspranos, Opus 1 * ''Zwei geistliche Gesänge'' for voice with organ accompaniment, opus 23, including ** ''Lamentation'' with four-part boys' choir

Organ pieces

* ''Phantasie über den achten Psalmton'', Op. 29 * ''Postludium über "Ite missa est IV"''

Literature

* ''Caecilia'', Zeitschrift für katholische Kirchenmusik, issue 3/4, 1932 * August Scharnagl: ''Die Regensburger Kirchenmusikschule'', at Georg Schwaiger (editor): ''Lebensbilder aus der Geschichte des Bistums Regensburg'', BGBR 23/24, Regensburg, 1989/1990, . * Clemens August Preising: ''Carl Thiel. Ein Leben für die Musikkultur des deutschen Volkes.'' Regensburg 1951. *

Franz Fleckenstein Franz Fleckenstein (8 June 1922 – 5 January 1996) was a German church musician, priest and composer. Life Born in Würzburg, Fleckenstein studied church music in Regensburg and after the war additionally theology. In 1950 he was ordained a c ...

(publisher): ''Gloria Deo Pax Hominibus. Festschrift zum 100-jährigen Bestehen der Kirchenmusikschule Regensburg.''Gloria Deo Pax Hominibus : festschrift zum 100-jahrigen Bestehen der Kirchenmusikschule Regensburg Fachakademie fur Katholische Kirchenmusik und Musikerziehung am 22 November 1974
on Worldcat (Publication series of the General Cäcilien Association. Volume 9). Bonn 1974. * Raymond Dittrich (publisher): ''125 Jahre Kirchenmusikschule in Regensburg von zur Reichsstraße.'' Regensburg 1999.

References

External links

*

in mälzels magazin, 2000, Nummer 3
Carl Thiel
at Carus-Verlag * {{DEFAULTSORT:Thiel, Carl 1862 births 1939 deaths People from Lower Silesian Voivodeship German choral conductors German music educators German composers 20th-century hymnwriters Knights of St. Gregory the Great