Sheet music
Composer(s):
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Publishernumber:
BPA1806
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edited by Yvonne Morgan
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Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf, born in Vienna on 2nd November 1739, began learning the violin at age seven.
The young violinist's unusual talent and gift for improvising caught the eye of the Prince of Saxony-Hildburghausen, who enrolled the twelve-year-old into his court orchestra and ensured that he received a thorough musical education. In addition, court music director Bonno taught him composition from Fux' Gradus ad Parnassum.
When the orchestra was disbanded in 1761, he was appointed violinist in the Viennese court orchestra. Here he met Gluck, who took a paternal interest in him. In 1764 Dittersdorf succeeded Michael Haydn as music director to the bishop of Grosswardein, Hungary. Here he was able to give free rein to his talents as a composer: he wrote symphonies, chamber music, oratorios and operas.
The orchestra was disbanded in 1769 after Empress Maria Theresia criticized the music for being too worldly. Count Schafgottsch, prince-bishop of Breslau, offered the renowned Dittersdorf a post as general music director.
During his 26 years in the Count's service, he not only turned the 'the miserable ten person band' into an excellent orchestra, but between 1770 und 1777 also composed 11 comic operas in Italian, which were performed in a specially built theatre in the castle. There were further symphonies, chamber music and concerti, of which especially the concerti with double bass are still performed today.
Dittersdorf's reputation as an operatic composer was such that in 1786 even a performance of Mozart's Figaro took second place to the sensationally successful premiere of his Singspiel Doctor and Apothecary, this (according to Goethe) 'modest manner of enjoying oneself, giving new life to everyplay characters with lively intrigues and easily comprehensible singing'.
Dittersdorf, the soul of kindness, lost his post after the Count's death in 1795, and was dismissed with a meagre pension. Almost paralyzed with severe gout, he was offered the hospitality of Baron Ignaz von Stillfried's castle in Rothlhotta in Bohemia. A few months before his death, he dictated to his son his autobiography Lebensbeschreibung, a gripping record of the social and musical life of his time.
He died on 24th October 1799 in Rothlhotta. In addition to six enchanting quartets in 'belated' Rococo style (Amadeus BP 1020) he enriched the chamber music repertoire with six quintets for 2 violins, viola and 2 violoncelli, commissioned in 1789 by King Frederick William II of Prussia, an amateur cellist; there are also six charming sonatas for 2 violins and viola, op. 2 (BP 749), duo sonatas, cassations for winds and strings and the well-formed, popular Duo for Viola and Double bass or Violoncello (BP 2048). We have edited the Notturno 'Dell Sigr Carolo Ditters', a precious rarity fraught with meditative tone poetry, from an undated, contemporary ten page score copy kept in the Danish Royal Library in Copenhagen. It is astonishing, what harmonic wealth four flutes are able to conjure.
Composer(s):
Publisher(s):
Publishernumber:
BPA1806
Instrument(s):
ISBN:
9790015180606
Number:
205683
Theme(s):
Overige informatie:
edited by Yvonne Morgan
