DE The International Valentin-Rathgeber-Society is a registered society especially committed to performing sacred music in services and concerts. In that respect the society enriches the cultural activities and music events in our commune and district.
The concert program is mainly indebted to works of the Frankonian Baroque composer P. Valentin Rathgeber (1682-1750) who was born in Oberelsbach. Since only a few of his 485 printed works are published so far in modern editions, the society engaged in making copies of all extant prints. This task was not easy as all works are published as separate music sheets, but not as score. Therefore a complete set of all music sheets was lacking in most libraries. After several years of research and collecting and with the kind help of many librarians this bold venture was successful so that the worldwide unique complete compilation of all printed works of Rathgeber is available for further research and editing in Rathgeber's birthplace.
After finalisation of this complete compilation of all printed works of Rathgeber, the Int. Valentin-Rathgeber-Society began editing the works for modern performance practises. These new editions are available for an extremely modest prize due to publishing within the society's own publishing house. The proceeds originating from these editions is used to increase the existing basic stock of the Rathgeber foundation.
