A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Schulz, Johann

SCHULZ, Johann Abraham Peter, son of a baker, born at Lüneburg, March 31, 1747. His master was Schmügel, a local organist of ability, whose descriptions of Berlin and of Kirnberger's labours so excited him that at the age of 15, without money and against the wish of his family, he went thither and put himself under the protection of Kirnberger, who was very good to him, under whom he studied and to whom he became greatly attached. In 1768 he was fortunate enough to travel in France, Italy, and Germany under good auspices. In 1773 he returned to Berlin, and found his old master and Sulzer at work on their 'Theory of the Fine Arts,' and undertook the musical portion of it from S to the end. He was also Capellmeister to the French theatre at Berlin, and afterwards to the private theatre of the Crown Princess at Berlin and that of Prince Henry at Reinsberg, where he stayed for 7 years from April 1, 1780. His choruses to 'Athalia,' produced while there, were translated and brought out at Copenhagen, and the result was an offer from the King of Denmark to be his Capellmeister at a salary of 2000 thalers. This he accepted and held for 8 years with great credit and advantage to the place. His health at length obliged him to leave, and he departed, Sept. 29, 1795, for Hamburg, Lüneburg, and Berlin. He lost his wife, and at length, on June 10, 1800, died at Schwedt deeply and widely lamented. Schulz was a prolific composer; 10 operas and 3 large sacred works are quoted by Fétis and Mendel, various PF. compositions and some literary works, including a treatise on a new mode of writing music. He also edited Kirnberger's True Principles of Harmony. But his true claim to notice rests on his songs. He was the first to give the Volkslied an artistic turn, and in fact took the first step which led to Schubert. He was very careful to get good words, and as a considerable move was taking place among the poets at that date (1770–80), and Bürger, Claudius, Hölty, and others were writing, he had good opportunities, and many of his settings were published in the Göttingen 'Musenalmanach' and Voss's 'Almanach.' He published also 'Lieder in Volkston bey dem Klavier zu singen' (1782), containing 48 songs, 2nd ed. 1785 in 2 parts, and a 3rd part in 1790. His songs were very much sung for years after their appearance, and are even still the delight of schoolboys, a great tribute to their freshness and melody. (See Reissmann, Gesch. d. Deutschen Liedes, 149.)

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