Privilegium exclusivum

In 1780, Bernhard Schott became the first recipient of the “Privilegium exclusivum” in Mainz accompanied by the title “court music engraver” which was conferred on him by the Bishop and Elector Friedrich Karl Joseph von Erthal. This honour guaranteed the successful economic future of the young company as it prevented any other publishers within the electorate from re-engraving or selling any works already published by Schott. At the end of the eighteenth century, Schott was the first major publishing house to introduce the innovative duplicating process of lithography which had been invented in 1796: this development soon enabled publications to be printed and distributed in large print runs.

Bernhard Schott’s two sons, Johann Andreas and Johann Josef, to whom the publishing house thanks its long- utilised name B. Schott’s Söhne, soon succeeded in expanding Schott beyond the confines of Germany: in 1824, a branch was founded in Antwerp, followed by additional branches in Paris in 1826, London in 1835, Leipzig in 1840 and finally in Brussels in 1843. Through the acquisition of other publishing firms and the rapid expansion of its international publication programme, the Schott publishing house soon achieved a significant position.

Overview:

1. Early Years
2. Privilegium exclusivum
3. Cutting-Edge
4. Franz Schott and Richard Wagner
5. Passage of ownership to Ludwig Strecker
6. Modern Times
7. Today and Tomorrow