Schenker Correspondence Project

Roth, Herman (1882-1938). German writer on music. A pupil of Riemann (1905), he worked as a music critic in Leipzig (1907-10) and Munich (1910-20), taught at the Conservatory in Baden Baden (1921-24) and at the Hochschule für Musik in Stuttgart (1925-35), then as a music critic in Hamburg (1932-35), settling finally in Berlin. His work as a critic included remarks on LfS ... 109 and Harmonielehre in 1914 (both = OC 2/p.38) and a later personal view of Schenker in 1931 (=OC 2/p.84).

His books include Heinrich Kaspar Schmid (Munich, 1921), and Elemente der Stimmführung (Stuttgart, 1926). He also edited works by J. S. Bach, Handel and C. P. E. Bach--see list below. He also translated opera libretti.

Schenker and Roth (already a friend of Schenker's pupil Otto Vrieslander) evidently became acquainted in 1912. In 1914, Schenker recommended UE to publish editions that Roth had produced of Handel cantatas, stating that Peters had already published a previous edition (see list below), and that it was a highly professional piece of work (WSLB 202, April 1, 1914). Schenker also praised Roth's edition of the J. S. Bach Passacaglia in C minor, seeing in it his own ideas. There are many entries concerning Roth in Schenker's diary. 1932 saw a break in their good relations, apparently for personal reasons.

Some 85 letters from Roth to Schenker survive in OJ (13/30), one in OC (24/8), and one from Schenker to Roth (OJ 5/33). Together, they cover 1912 to 1933.

Roth is mentioned in (not all of these documents may yet be available on the website):

WSLB 149, March 18, 1913 (Schenker to Hertzka)
WSLB 202, April 1, 1914 (Schenker to Hertzka)
OC 52/142, April 2, 1914 (Hertzka to Schenker)
WSLB 228, September 27, 1914 (Hertzka to Schenker, complimentary copy of LfS ... 110 )
OC 52/166, January 9, 1915 (Hertzka to Schenker)
OJ 5/18, 1, October 7, 1930 (Schenker to Jonas)
OJ 12/6, [15], September 5, 1932 (Jonas to Schenker)
OJ 12/6, [35], July 25, 1934 (Jonas to Schenker)
OJ 5/18, 48, July 29, 1934 (Schenker to Jonas)
OJ 12/6, [48], February 17, 1938 (Jonas to Jeanette Schenker)

[ Baker's (1971), Federhofer, Nach Tagebüchern, communication from John Rothgeb, and other sources]

Editions published by Peters (Leipzig) were:

Bach, J. S.: Kantaten. Klavier-Auszüge mit Gesang, 10 cantatas edited by H. Roth (Ed. Nos. 3350-3359, pubd 1911-12)

Bach, J. S.: Magnificat, ed. K. Straube, piano/organ accomp. by H. Roth (Ed. No. 3392, not before 1906)

Bach, J. S.: Lieder, 25 geistliche, aus dem Schemellischen Gesangbuch für 1 Singstimme und basso continuo, piano/organ accomp. by H. Roth (Ed. No. 3392, pubd 1922) [copy as OJ 25/1, with annotations by Heinrich and Jeanette Schenker]

Bach, C. P. E.: 30 Geistliche Lieder für eine Singstimme und Klavier, ed. H. Roth with detailed instructions as to ornamentation (Ed. No. 3748, pubd 1922)

Handel: Gesänge für eine Frauenstimme. Aus Opern und Oratorien ausgewählt, ed. with keyboard accomp. by H. Roth (Ed. No. 3493, pubd 1916).

[Information kindly supplied by C. F. Peters, Frankfurt/Main]