Gerbert, Martin (EN)

Gerbert Martin, born Franz Dominik Bernhard Gerbert, *11 (or 12) August 1720 Horb on the Neckar, †13 May 1793 St. Blasien (Black Forest), German theologian, historian, historian of liturgy, musicologist and composer, OSB.

After studying at the Jesuit college in Freiburg im Breisgau and in Klingenau (Aargau), in 1736 he entered the Benedictine order in St. Blasien; in 1737 he took the monastic name Martin, and in 1744 he was ordained priest. At that time his first compositions were written, one of which, an Offertorium, was published by Remigius Klesatl in XXIV Offertoria solennia (Augsburg 1747). From 1755 he was librarian of the monastery in St. Blasien, and later professor of theology and philosophy. His interests in church history and liturgical music were reflected in numerous scholarly journeys undertaken in 1759–63 across France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Italy, where in the libraries and archives of Strasbourg, Paris, Munich, Vienna, Bologna, Rome, Murbach, St. Gallen, Engelberg, Einsiedeln, Tegernsee, St. Emmeram in Regensburg, Salzburg, Admont, Melk and Monte Cassino he searched for sources concerning medieval liturgy and music theory. In 1764 he became abbot of St. Blasien monastery. Under his direction the monastery became an important center of scholarly research. In addition to works on music, Gerbert wrote numerous theological and ecclesiastical historical treatises.

Of particular historical importance are two works by Gerbert: De cantu et musica sacra… and Scriptores ecclesiastici…. The first presents the history of monophonic and polyphonic church music, based on source texts of Greek and Latin ecclesiastical writers, synodal and conciliar decrees, and other historical documents, and remains one of the most valuable collections of liturgical and music-historical materials. In the concluding section it includes Gerbert’s own composition Missa in Coena Domini for double eight-part choir. However, Scriptores ecclesiastici…, a monumental work later continued in 1864 by C.E.H. Coussemaker, contains for the first time published treatises and numerous writings by more than 40 music theorists from the 9th to the 15th century. In addition to anonymous treatises, fragments of various authors’ works and ecclesiastical regulations, it includes in vol. 1 writings of theorists such as Aurelian of Réôme, Remigius of Auxerre, Hucbald, Regino of Prüm, Odo of Cluny and Berno of Reichenau; vol. 2 includes Guido of Arezzo, William of Hirsau, Theoger of Metz, Aribo Scholasticus, Johannes Cotto (Affligemensis), Engelbert of Admont and Johannes Egidius Zamorensis; and vol. 3 includes Franco, Elias Salomonis,  Marchettus de Padua, Johannes de Muris and Adam of Fulda. Scriptores ecclesiastici… remains even today a fundamental source for research on medieval music theory. Thanks to these two publications Gerbert belongs, alongside Padre Martini, John Hawkins, Burney, Laborde and Forkel, to the most outstanding scholars of the second half of the 18th century.

Literature: Briefe und Akten des Fürstabts Martin II. Gerbert von St. Blasien, 1764–1793, eds. G. Pfeilschifter, A. Allgeler, W. Müller, Karlsruhe 1957; C. F. Nicolai Beschreibung einer Reise durch Deutschland und die Schweiz im Jahr 1781, Berlin-Szczecin 1783–96; L. Kästle M. Gerbert, Lahr 1868; J. Bader Fürstabt M. Gerbert, Freiburg im Breisgau 1875; C. Krieg Fürstabt M. Gerbert, Freiburg im Breisgau 1896; A. Lamy M. Gerbert, Reims 1898; G. Pfeilschifter Fürstabt M. Gerbert, Cologne 1912; A. Brinzinger Fürstabt Gerbert von St. Blasien, Horb 1916; Ch. Grossmann Fürstabt M. Gerbert als Musikhistoriker, “Kirchenmusikalisches Jahrbuch” XXVII, 1932; E. Hegar Die Anfänge der neueren Musikgeschichtsschreibung, Leipzig 1932; G. Pfeilschifter Die Korrespondenz des Fürstabts M. Gerbert, Karlsruhe 1931–34; J. Bayer Die Stellung M. Gerberts in der Geschichte der Liturgieforschung und der liturgischen Bewegung, Freiburg im Breisgau 1943 (dissertation).