Composer of the Month 12/2011: Hans Georg Naegeli (selected by Peter van Dessel / Belgium)

Switzerland 1.12.1936 The Swiss music teacher, publisher and composer Hans Georg Naegeli was born on 26. May 1773 in Wetzikon. In 1791 he opened a music shop in Zurich, which he extended by a music publishing house after his song "Freut Euch des Lebens" was successfully published in 1794. Naegeli published the row " Répertoire des Clavecinistes" where - among others - the original expenditure of Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonatas op. 31 appeared as well as important early printings of George Friedrich Handel and Johann Sebastian Bach (e.g. The Well Temperated Piano" and "The art of Fugue"). In 1805 Naegeli founded the "Zuerich Singinstitut" which is considered as the first step for setting up the choir movement in Switzerland. Naegeli himself promoted this movement by composing an extensive repertoire of choir works. Beside some influential training works Naegeli also published numerous song collections for solo voice and choir. The video shows the American Folk musician Mark Gilston (*1950) playing the hymn "Blessed be the Tie that Binds", a melody composed by Hans Georg Naegeli. Hans Georg Naegeli died on 26 December 1836 in Zurich. In December 2011 we remember his 175. death anniversary. More composer can be found in the members only section