Prof. Dr. Derek Remeš honored for editing Friedrich Wilhelm Marpurg’s treatise
[From the Technical University of Dortmund website]
At the end of 2024, Univ.-Prof. Dr. Derek Remeš received the "Citation of Special Merit" from the US Society of Music Theory for his editorship of Friedrich Wilhelm Marpurg's treatise Abhandlung von der Fuge (1753–54).
The overarching project, initiated by the Fryderyk Chopin Institute in Warsaw, was titled "Between Chopin and Tellefsen: European Music Treatises – Universality and National Identity." The project ran from 2020 to 2022 and was co-funded by various sponsors, including the Iceland Liechtenstein Norway Grants . The goal was to transcribe five important music treatises in their original language, translate them into English and Polish, and provide them with detailed commentaries. The results are available as open access on the project website.
Derek Remeš's commentary on Marpurg's treatise explains its background and significance. Friedrich Wilhelm Marpurg (1718–1795) was an important music theorist, writer, and composer of the 18th century. His treatise on the fugue represents the first detailed description of modern fugue technique in music history. Since Marpurg was a close confidant of the Bach family, his analyses of J.S. Bach's works are particularly relevant.
