Music Theory between the Public Sphere and Nationalism in Eighteenth-century Berlin

Around 1750, various elements came together to turn Berlin from a musical backwater to one of the leading European centers of music in both practice and theory. This dissertation traces the origins of this transformation from around 1750—when the first music theoretical writings in Berlin were published—to the end of the 18th century. The project argues that music theory and its entrance into the public sphere, acted as an instrumental agent in propelling ideas of German cultural nationalism that fully blossomed in the 19th century. Intersecting multiple disciplines such as music history, journalism, social sciences, and nationalism studies, this project challenges narrow perceptions of the position of music theory and places it as a central topic in 18th-century Enlightenment discussions.