Arno Forchert

Born in Berlin, Forchert studied music (majoring in piano) and then musicology at the Free University of Berlin from 1947 to 1950, where he gained his doctorate in 1957 with a thesis on the late work of Michael Praetorius. From 1956 to 1960, he directed the music teachers' seminar at the John Petersen Conservatory in Berlin-Zehlendorf, and from 1960 he worked as a lecturer for historical musicology at the Spandauer Kirchenmusikschule. From 1959 Forchert was a research assistant at the musicological institute of the Free University of Berlin, where he habilitated in 1967 and taught until 1978. In 1971 he followed a call to the Hochschule für Musik Detmold for a position as full professor of musicology. There he founded the Musikwissenschaftliches Seminar Detmold/Paderborn [de] in 1977, which he directed until his retirement in 1991. In 1981 he moved to the Paderborn University to transform the Musicology Department in Detmold into a joint institution of the University of Paderborn and the Hochschule für Musik Detmold. From 1988 to 1997 he was president of the International Heinrich Schütz Society, which appointed him an honorary member. On his 60th birthday a commemorative publication edited by Gerhard Allroggen and Detlef Altenburg was published. Forchert died on 11 March 2011 at his home in Detmold at age 85.^[1]

• 1950–1970 Freier Mitarbeiter am Rundfunk im amerikanischen Sektor Berlin.
• 1958–1963 Programmeinführung [de] for the concerts of the Berlin Philharmonic.
• 1964–1972 employee of the magazine "Phono-Forum" and member of the jury of the Deutscher Schallplattenpreis.
• 1976–1981 Chairman of the section musicology and music education of the Gesellschaft für Musikforschung.
• 1981–1988 Advisory at the board music of the Goethe-Institut Munich.
• 1983–1985 dean and vice dean of department 4 of the Paderborn University
• 1984–1988 Reviewer for musicology and deputy chairman of the expert committee for art studies of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.
• 1985–1989 Member of the board of the Gesellschaft für Musikforschung.
• 1994–1998 advisory board for music of the 17th century of the Musiklexikon Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart.

Forchert was married twice. His first marriage produced two sons. His first wife died before him. His second marriage lasted until his death.^[2]