A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Nottebohm, Martin
NOTTEBOHM, Martin Gustav, composer, teacher, and writer on music, born Nov. 12, 1817, at Lüdenscheid near Arnsberg in Westphalia, son of a manufacturer. In 1838 and 39, when in Berlin as a volunteer in the Garde-Schützenbataillon, he took lessons on the piano and composition from L. Berger and Dehn. In 1840 he removed to Leipzig, where he became intimate with Mendelssohn and Schumann, particularly the latter. A testimonal from Mendelssohn, stating his qualifications as a musician, procured his discharge from the army, and in Sept. 1846 he settled finally in Vienna. In 1847 he went through a course of counterpoint with Sechter, and has since been esteemed as an able and conscientious teacher of the pianoforte and composition. But it is as a solid and scientific writer on music that his name will live; indeed his critical researches on Beethoven's works constitute him an authority of the first rank. His cooperation in the revised editions of the works of Bach, Handel, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, and Mozart, is of the highest value as a guarantee for the thoroughness with which undertakings so important should be conducted. If not the first to explore Beethoven's sketch-books, he has certainly investigated them more thoroughly and to more purpose than any one else, and his works on this subject deserve the gratitude of every student of the great composer. [See vol. i. p.174.] It is to be regretted that so far no public institutution has been inclined to offer a man of his great attainments a position commensurate with his services.
Up to the present date (April 1880) Nottebohm has published:—'Musikwissenschaftliche Beitrage' in the 'Monatschrift für Theater und Musik'(1855 and 57, Vienna, Klemm); 'Ein Skizzenbuch von Beethoven,' description with extracts (1865, Breitkopf & Härtel); 'Thematisches Verzeichniss der im Druck erschienenen Werke von Beethoven,' 2nd ed. enlarged, and with chronological and critical observations (1868, B. & H.); 'Beethoveniana' (1872, Rieter-Biedermann); 'Beethoven's Studien,' vol. i. containing the instruction received by Beethoven from Haydn, Albrechtsberger, and Salieri; from the original MSS. (1873, ibid.); 'Thematisches Verzeichniss der im Druck erschieuenen Werke von Franz Schubert' (1874, Vienna, Schreiber); 'Neue Beethoveniana,' papers appearing from time to time in the 'Musikalisches Wochenblatt'; 1875 to 79—this last, and the 'Beethoveniana,' are founded on the examination of Beethoven's sketch-books to which allusion has been made; 'Mozartiana' (1880, B. & H.) His compositions include—op. 1, Clavier-quartet; op. 4, Clavier-trios (both Peters); Solos for P.F. op. 2 and 3 (Peters); op. 6, 10, 11, 13–15 (Spina); op. 16 (Peters); op. 17 'Variationen über ein Thema von J. S. Bach' P.F. 4 hands (B. & H.). [App. p.732 "Add to his publications, 'Ein Skizzenbuch von Beethoven aus dem Jahr 1803' (B.&H. 1880). This contains the sketches for the Eroica. His death took place at Gratz, on Oct. 30, 1882. Since then the papers which appeared in the 'Mus. Wochenblatt' as 'Neue Beethoveniana,' with others of the same nature by him, have been collected by E. Mandyczewski, and published in 1887 by Rieter-Biedermann of Leipzig in a volume of 590 pages; as 'Zweite Beethoveniana.' An index to both the Beethoveniana volumes was published in Oct. 1888."]