Piel, Peter (1835-1904) Germany

Peter Piel was a German composer, music theorist and teacher. From 1854 to 1856, he studied at the preparatory school of the Teachers' Seminar in Kempen where he also taught in the following years. In 1868, Piel was called to the newly established Royal School Teachers' Training College in Boppard where he was appointed First Seminar Teacher in 1878 and Royal Music Director in 1887. He worked in this function until his death in 1904.
With Henry Oberhoffer, Stephen Luck, Henry Böckeler and Peter Wagner, Piel counts to the major reformers of the Church music in the Rhineland. His composition style, documented in 41 masses and occasional music for elementary church usage, is committed to the ideals of Caecilianism. His works, however, are almost completely forgotten.