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Johann Ludwig Dietel (Copyist, Kantor, Bach's Pupil)

Born: December 23, 1713 - Calbitz, near Oschatz, Saxony, Germany
Died: December 22, 1773 - Falkenhain, Saxony, Germany

Johann Ludwig Dietel was born to Johann Caspar Dietel (Kantor in Calbitz). He enrolled at the Thomasschule in Leipzig June 10, 1727 and did some copy work for J.S. Bach. He then studied theology at the University of Leipzig and later became sunstitute (1741) Kantor (1760) in Falkenhain where he remained until his death in 1773. He married Dorothea Caroline Beyer from Freiberg on November 6, 1742, who died after the birth of their fourth child. He later married Christina Magdalena Ruhland from Oschatz on May 18, 1751.

Johann Ludwig Dietel attended the Thomasschule in Leipzig as a fully-enrolled Thomaner from 1727 to 1735. Early on during this period, Dietel began serving as a copyist for the Leipzig Neukirche. A detailed list of his copyist services for J.S. Bach is given below. Dietel is perhaps best known for his important contribution to the transmission of J.S. Bach’s compositions with his collection of J.S. Bach’s 4-part chorale settings. Although Dietel’s handwriting had not yet been identified, Friedrich Smend, by the middle of the 20th century, had already recognized the importance of this collection containing 149 chorales located in the City of Leipzig Music Library. Fifty of the 149 chorales could not be traced to any of the extant vocal compositions by J.S. Bach. Strictly speaking six of these 50 chorales still do not have a BWV # assigned. Two of these six appear to be variants of already existing settings and the other four are entirely unique so that Smend came to the conclusion that these ‘were apparently not by J.S. Bach’. The NBA editors think that this matter has not yet been conclusively settled and have published them for the purpose of further study.

Johann Ludwig Dietel worked as a copyist for J.S. Bach from June 6, 1729 until January 6, 1735 with particular emphasis on two time spans: 1729/1730 and 1734/1735. He was first identified by his handwriting by Andreas Glöckner in 1981. Before that point in time he was listed by Alfred Dürr as J.S. Bach’s main copyist F and Anon IVb; and in Bach Digital as Hauptkopist F; Anon. 16; J. S. Bach XXIII

Works of Bach he copied [Manuscript No. in Bach Digital / Work / Performance date]

B-Br Ms II 3892 Mus (Fétis 1877), Faszikel 1
B-Br Ms II 3893 Mus (Fétis 1879)
D-B Am.B 102-104, Faszikel 2
D-B Mus.ms. Bach St 33a: BWV 201 Basso Continuo (entire) [1729]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach St 43: BWV 120a Transposed Basso Continuo part, mvts. 6, 7, 8 [1729]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach St 65: BWV 213 Violino II doublet mvt. 1 mm. 112-166 [5.9.1733]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach St 77: BWV 215 [5.10.1734]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach St 91: BWV 214 Viola part (entire) [8.12.1733]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach St 97: BWV 100 String Group II and Organ part (figured bass added by J.S. Bach) [after 1735]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach St 106, Faszikel 1: BWV 29 Basso Continuo part (all but movement 8) [27.8.1731]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach St 112 IV, Faszikel 1: BWV 248/4 Soprano, Soprano (echo), A, T, B parts, Oboes, Strings, Basso Continuo (figured bass begun by Dietel, finished by J.S. Bach) [1.1.1735]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach St 112 VI, Faszikel 1: BWV 248/6 S, A, T, Trombas I, II, III, Timpani, Oboes, Strings, Basso Continuo (entire) [6.1.1735]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach St 318: BNB I/B/4 [1729]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach St 319: Steffano Agostini: La Tempeste, BNB I/B/6 [1729/1730]
D-LEb Peters Ms. R 18 [= Choralsammlung Dietel] (Depositum im Bach-Archiv)
D-LEb Thomana 112, Faszikel 1 (Depositum im Bach-Archiv): BWV 112 Transposed Basso Continuo part (figured bass begun by Dietel, but completed by J.S. Bach) [8.4.1731]
US-BER M2004 .B118 BWV 174 (R 4395): BWV 174 Violino concertante II, mvts. 4, 5; Violino concertante III, mvts. 4, and the beginning of mvt. 5 [6.6.1729]
[Kantate BWV 174: Ich liebe den Höchsten von ganzem Gemüte] Originalstimmensatz[Original source]

Source: Bernd Koska: Dissertation "Bachs Thomaner als Kantoren in Mitteldeutschland" (Beeskow 2018), Anhang VII.1 Die Alumnen der Thomasschule 1710-1760, English translation by Aryeh Oron (April 2020); Bach Digital Website (October 2019)
Contributed by
Thomas Braatz (June 2014), Aryeh Oron (April 2020)

Links to other Sites

Dietel, Johann Ludwig (Bach Digital)

Bibliography

Literature: Richter 1907, Nr. 99; Glöckner 1981, S. 57–69; Schulze 1984, S. 120; NBA IX/3, Nr. 125; Wollny 2016, S. 92–99

Bach's Pupils: List of Bach's Pupils | Actual and Potential Non-Thomaner Singers and Players who participated in Bach’s Figural Music in Leipzig | Alumni of the Thomasschule in Leipzig during Bach's Tenure | List of Bach's Private Pupils | List of Bach's Copyists
Thomanerchor Leipzig: Short History | Members: 1729 | 1730 | 1731 | 1740-1741 | 1744-1745 | Modern Times
Bach’s Pupils Discussions: Part 1 | Part 2
Articles: Organizional Structure of the Thomasschule in Leipzig | The Rules Established for the Thomasschule by a Noble and Very Wise Leipzig City Council - Printed by Bernhard Christoph Breitkopf Leipzig, 1733 | Homage Works for Thomas School Rectors


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