Literature Search

Research Methods

Jolanda Grijpstra

Hans Pfitzner (1869-1949)

Books
Bernhard, A. 1980, Hans Pfitzner: Literatur, Philosophie und
Zeitgeschehen in seinem Weltbild und Werk, Frankfurt am Main.
The work explores how philosophy, literature and contemporary events
influenced Pfitzners output, putting the composers output in a historical context.
Busch-Frank, S. 2016, Hans Pfitzner und der Nationalsozialismus,
Stuttgart.
A reworked version of a book published in 2001, the book explores Pfitzners
prominent role within the Nazi-regime during his life.
Mercier, R. 1998, The Songs of Hans Pfitzner. A Guide and Study,
Connecticut/London.
The work offers a critical analysis of the songs composed by Pfitzner.
Vogel, J.P. 1999, Pfitzner. Leben, Werke, Dokumente, Zurich.
This book provides an overview of Pfitzners life and works, putting them in a
historical context, utilizing the documents left extant by the composers own hand.
Williamson, J. 1992, The Music of Hans Pfitzner, Oxford.
the first full-length study of Pfitzner in English (Franklin, P. 1993, The Music
of Hans Pfitzner, Music and Letters 74, 611-613) the work is described as an
analytically oriented investigation of Pfitzners compositional style (Franklin 1993,
611.)

Journal Articles
Bieler, L. 1975, Hans Pfitzners Palestrina, Studies: an Irish Quarterly
Review 64, 66-73.
The article is an analysis of Pfitzners most famous work, the opera Palestrina.
Newson, J. 1971, Hans Pfitzner, a Traditionally German Composer, The
Quarterly Journal of the Library of Congress 28, 103-113.
The article explores cultural associations in Pfitzners work, as his influences,
using primary sources to paint a picture of the composer.
Steinberg, M.P. 2001, Opera and Cultural Analysis: The Case of Hans
Pfitzners Palestrina, The Music Quarterly 85, 53-62.
The work provides a culturally analytical view on Pfitzners best known work.
The conclusion is as follows: In this context, Palestrina becomes interpretable as a
German national and nationalist work that employs pro-Catholic strategy of the
imperial German Presence in Alsace in the 1890s. (Steinberg 2001, 62.)

Vogel. J.P. 2007, Hans Pfitzner Ein Politischer Komponist? Mitteilungen

der Hans-Pfitzner Gesellschaft 64, Munich.
Vogels article explores the political subtext of Pfitzners compositions in the
context of his role within the Nazi regime.
Vogel, J.P. 2009, Pfitzners Verhltnis zu Juden und Judentum,
Mitteilungen der Hans-Pfitzner Gesellschaft 70, Munich.
Another work that explores Pfitzners relation with the Nazi regime and Jews.
The article concludes with Pfitzners own remark that the divide between music and
politics is virtually non-existent, thus assuming that (historically speaking) politics
are a main feature in Pfitzners output: Der Sprung [von der Musik] auf die Politik
ist nur ein scheinbarer; ich rede von demselben Dinge; vom nationalen Leben, was
fr manche Menschen das Leben berhaupt bedeutet. Die knstlerische Verwesung
ist das Symptom der nationalen. (Hans Pfitzner, Gesammelte Schriften Bd. I/II, 245)

Other
Abendroth, W. 1995, Reden, Schriften, Briefe von Hans Pfitzner, Munich.
The work is a collection of correspondences and other writings by Hans
Pfitzner, compiled by Abendroth. Besides the great wealth of primary sources that
gives the researcher an insight in Pfitzner as a person, rather than a composer, both
this work and the following work by Adamy offer the researcher to directly access
primary sources referenced in secondary literature.
Adamy. B. 1991, Hans Pfitzner: Briefe, Munich.
Like Abendroth, this collection by Adamy is a collection of letters by Pfitzner.
Anderson, David E. 1993, Review of Hans Pfitzner: Briefe; the Music of Hans Pfitzner, Notes 50
Music, 54347.

This review provides the researcher with a view of the historical Pfitzner,
besides offering a critical note on two of the works used in this bibliography.
Pfitzner, H. 1941, Meine Liedertexten, Berlin.
A publication by Pfitzners own hand, the work explores Pfitzners use of
language in his works.

Weisend, R. 1999, Einweihung des Hans-Pfitzner-Denkmals in Schondorf

in Ammersee Musik in Bayern 58, 189-191.
Given the controversial political views of Pfitzner, this relatively recent erection of a monument in
Pfitzners honour is explored by Weisend.