MATTHESON – Air (on a G string) – FOUR CELLOS

Other Identification:
Johann Mattheson (1681 – 1764) was a German composer, singer, writer, lexicographer, diplomat and music theorist.

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 was a close friend of George Frideric Handel, although a renowned anecdote is that he nearly killed Handel in a sudden quarrel during a performance of Mattheson’s opera Die unglückselige Kleopatra, Königin von Ägypten in 1704 ! However, Mattheson’s chief occupation from 1706 was as a professional diplomat. He had studied English in school and spoke it fluently. In musical spheres 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 period.

He found time to produce a fair quantity of original music too. 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.