Max Friedlaender (musicologist)

Max Friedlaender (1852-1934) was a German musicologist, particularly known for his contributions to the study of German Lieder. He was born in Brieg (present-day Brzeg, Poland) and died in Berlin.

Friedlaender studied piano and composition with Theodor Kullak and Richard Würst, and later musicology with Philipp Spitta. He earned his doctorate from the University of Leipzig in 1882.

His major contribution lies in his research and publication of volumes of German folk songs and art songs. He is most famous for his critical editions of Franz Schubert's songs, including Franz Schuberts Lieder in kritischer Fassung (1884-1885) which standardized the text and music of Schubert's Lieder based on manuscript sources. He also published a revised edition of the complete songs of Robert Schumann.

Friedlaender also contributed significantly to the field of biographical musicology. He authored a biography of Franz Schubert, Schubert (1928), which remains a valuable resource for Schubert scholars. His work emphasized rigorous source criticism and historical contextualization in music analysis.

He taught at the University of Berlin from 1894, becoming a professor in 1903. Friedlaender’s legacy endures through his insightful analyses of German vocal music and his foundational contributions to Schubert scholarship. He is remembered as a meticulous scholar and a key figure in the development of modern musicology.