Musikkollegium Winterthur: Werner Reinhart’s Correspondence

Musicology Institute of the University of Zürich, Schwitzerland 

Winterthur industrialist Werner Reinhart was one of the most important Swiss patrons of music in the first half of the 20th century. Reinhart made it possible for composers, performers and conductors as well as painters and writers to follow their calling assisting them with financial support. However, in Paul Sacher’s shadow Reinhart was perceived more as a silent sponsor whose extreme reticence, discretion and modesty are frequently mentioned in sources of the day. However, this should not detract from the outstanding position Reinhart occupied in the promotion of the European music scene. With the support of the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation Reinhart’s correspondence is to be systematically index-catalogued and made available for research.
The exact scope of the correspondence can only be approximated at present but is likely to run to approx. 30,000 letters. This includes correspondence between Werner Reinhart and Richard Strauss, Igor Stravinsky, Arthur Honegger, Paul Hindemith, Othmar Schoeck as well as the Vienna Circle; furthermore, Reinhart corresponded with key conductors of his day like Ernest Ansermet or even Hermann Scherchen – who was a permanent guest conductor at the Swiss orchestra Musikkollegium Winterthur from 1922 to 1950. This meant he decisively influenced the career of the orchestra along with Reinhart. 

2010–2015
Musikwissenschaftliches Institut der Universität Zürich

Further Information:
www.werner-reinhart.ch