A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Neithardt, August

NEITHARDT, August Heinrich, founder of the Berlin Domchor (Cathedral choir), was born at Schleiz, Aug. 10, 1793. His early musical studies were interrupted at 20 years of age by his military service, which lasted through the campaigns of 1813–15. This led to his becoming bandmaster to the Garde-Schiitzen Battalion (1816–22) for which he composed and arranged a host of pieces. From 1823 to 1840 he was master of the band of the Kaiser Franz Grenadiers, and wrote and did much for the improvement of military music. In 1839 he was made 'königliche Musikdirector,' and in 1843 was commissioned to found a regular choir for the Berlin Cathedral, which he did by uniting the scholars and seminarists who sang the ordinary Cathedral service with the smaller choir who sang in the Court-chapel, about 80 strong in all. Thus was formed the famous Domchor, for which Mendelssohn wrote his noble psalms and motets. In 1846 Neithardt went to St. Petersburg to hear the famous Russian choirs, and in 1850 he and his choir visited London and created much astonishment by their extraordinarily refined and effective performances. Neithardt died at Berlin April 18, 1861. He was a remarkably able conductor, indefatigable in drilling his choir and in providing them with masterpieces of all schools, some of which were edited by him under the title of 'Musica Sacra' in 8 vols. (Berlin, Bote & Bock).

[ G. ]