Max Bruch's letters to Ernst Rudorff acquired by Cologne archive

The Max Bruch Archive at the Musicological Institute of the University of Cologne has acquired over 400 letters from composer Max Bruch (1838–1920) to his Berlin colleague Ernst Rudorff (1840–1916), along with other documents. The collection comes from Rudorff's estate and is funded by the Kulturstiftung der Länder with €30,000. The letters offer insights into 19th-century musical life, networks, and societal debates, including antisemitism, militarism, and criticism of modernity. Bruch discusses works by other composers and his rivalry with Johannes Brahms. The archive, founded in 1949 by Bruch's son Ewald Bruch and housed at the University of Cologne since 1966, also contains postcards, manuscripts, and annotated newspaper articles. The newly acquired correspondence has not yet been scientifically evaluated. Additional support comes from the Landesverband Rheinland.