Prague and Contemporary Music
Bärenreiter Managing Director Leonhard Scheuch turns 85
He has helped shape the fortunes of Bärenreiter for almost half of its existence. Leonhard Scheuch, who celebrates his 85th birthday on 21 May, changed his position from the Zurich Opera House to Kassel in 1976 to manage the music publisher alongside his wife Barbara Scheuch-Vötterle. Both consistently enhanced the profile of the publishing house. On the basis of the pioneering Complete Editions of Bach, Mozart, Handel, Schubert and other composers, a publishing programme was created that today spans works of almost all important composers from the Baroque period to the early 20th century.
From the beginning, Swiss-born Leonhard Scheuch set his eyes on contemporary music. Through him, a group of young composers found comprehensive publishing support in Kassel. However, ever since his student days, his personal love has been Czech music. It was therefore a matter close to his heart to set up a Bärenreiter subsidiary in Prague after Communism ended. Since 1999 the programme of the former state publisher Supraphon continued under the name of Editio Bärenreiter Praha, today Bärenreiter Praha. All of this took place under the management of Leonhard Scheuch. Since then, the Prague publishing house has become a vital enterprise that cultivates the great heritage of Czech music in close cooperation with the parent company in Kassel, offering editions of the highest standard to musicians all over the world.
The Bärenreiter employees warmly congratulate Leonhard Scheuch on his 85th birthday.