# Johann Mattheson (1681 – 1764)



## JSBach85 (Feb 18, 2017)

*Johann Mattheson (28 September 1681 - 17 April 1764)*

German composer, singer, writer, lexicographer, diplomat and music theorist. Mattheson was born and died in Hamburg. He was a close friend of George Frideric Handel, although he nearly killed him in a sudden quarrel, during a performance of Mattheson's opera Cleopatra in 1704. Handel was saved only by a large button which turned aside Mattheson's sword. The two were afterwards reconciled and remained in correspondence for life: shortly after his friend's death.

Mattheson received a broad liberal education and, aside from general musical training, took lessons in keyboard instruments, violin, composition and singing. By age nine he was singing and playing organ in church and was a member of the chorus of the Hamburg opera. He made his solo debut with the Hamburg opera in 1696 in female roles and, after his voice changed, sang tenor at the opera, conducted rehearsals and composed operas himself. He was cantor at St. Mary's Cathedral from 1718 until increasing deafness led to his retirement from that post in 1728.

Mattheson is mainly famous as a music theorist. He was the most abundant writer on performance practice, theatrical style, and harmony of the German Baroque. He is particularly important for his work on the relationship of the disciplines of rhetoric and music. The bulk of his compositional output was vocal, including eight operas, and numerous oratorios and cantatas. He also wrote a few sonatas and some keyboard music, including pieces meant for keyboard instruction. All of his music, except for one opera, one oratorio, and a few collections of instrumental music, went missing after World War II, but was given back to Hamburg from Yerevan, Armenia, in 1998. This includes four operas and most of the oratorios. The manuscripts are now located at the Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Hamburg, the former Hamburg Stadtbibliothek (City Library).

The first time I listened to Mattheson was in a church live concert, the musicians performed some sonatas from Der brauchbare Virtuoso. "Der brauchbare Virtuoso" ("The Useful Virtuoso") is a collection of 12 solo sonatas written for either flute or violin and continuo, published in 1720. Then, I researched recordings to listen such sonatas in detail at home. By the time, my favourite is Pablo Valetti in Alpha (on period instruments)










Sonata for violin, flute and basso continuo in A major

I. Adagio - 0:05
II. Allegro - 1:21
III. Grave - 3:07
IV. Giga - 4:36

Diana Baroni (G. Kowalewsky, after C. Palanca, 1740 c., Milan traversiere) 
Pablo Valetti (German anonymous, 1745 c. violin) 
Petr Skalka (D. A. Stadelman, 1730, Vienna violoncello) 
Dirk Börner (A. Sidey\F. Bal german harpsichord)






Other works recorded include oratorios and harpsichord works as well. Although Mattheson was one of the most relevant composers in his time, has been unfairly neglected by today's audiences. I think today is a great day to listen again this "Der brauchbare Virtuoso" recording, until now, one of my favourite sonatas collection composed.


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