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Paul Bekker
1882–1937
A leading German music critic and writer of the early 20th century, this author helped shape public conversations about opera, symphonic music, and modern musical life. His work is still remembered for its sharp listening, broad cultural perspective, and close attention to major composers of his time.
1 Audiobook
Deutsches Leben der Gegenwart
by Paul Bekker, Goetz A. (Goetz Antony) Briefs, Max Scheler, Arnold Sommerfeld, Philipp Witkop
About the author
Born in Berlin on September 11, 1882, Paul Bekker became one of Germany's best-known music critics, essayists, and historians. Before turning fully to journalism, he worked as a violinist and also spent time as a conductor, experience that gave his writing a practical musician's ear as well as a critic's wider view.
Bekker wrote extensively about opera and orchestral music and became especially associated with serious, engaged criticism during the first decades of the 20th century. He is often noted for championing newer music and for writing influential studies of major composers, including Beethoven.
As a Jewish intellectual in Germany, his career was deeply affected by the rise of the Nazi regime. He left Germany in the 1930s and died in New York on January 7, 1937. Today he is remembered as an important voice in modern music criticism and cultural history.