Carl Georg Reutter
Encyclopedia
Johann Adam Joseph Karl Georg Reutter (the Younger) (6 April 1708 Vienna
11 March 1772 Vienna) was an Austrian
composer
. According to Wyn Jones, in his prime he was "the single most influential musician in Vienna".
(the Elder) was also a notable composer. He was the 11th of 14 children and received his early musical training from his father, assisting him as court organist
.
A period of more formal instruction from Antonio Caldara
ensued, leading to the composition of an oratorio
in 1726 and, in 1727, his first opera
for the imperial court, Archidamia. On three separate occasions during this period, Reutter applied for a position as court organist and was each time rejected by Johann Joseph Fux. At his own expense he travelled to Italy in 1730 (possibly in 1729); in February 1730 he was in Venice and in April 1730 in Rome. He returned to Vienna in autumn 1730, and early in the following year he successfully applied for a post as court composer, the formal beginning of a lifetime of service at the Habsburg
court. After his father's death he became Kapellmeister
of St. Stephen's Cathedral
in 1738.
Reutter supervised a staff of 31 musicians, as follows:
When trumpets, timpani, or trombones were needed, they were recruited on an ad hoc basis, often borrowed from the musical establishment of the Imperial court (Hofkapelle).
According to Wyn Jones, the repertoire of church music "constituted a continually unfolding tradition that is poorly served by the familiar division of the [18th] century into Baroque
and Classical
." Much of this repertoire was by Reutter himself (see Works, below); other composers prominently represented were Bonno
, Tuma, and Fux.
, Reutter auditioned the seven-year-old Joseph Haydn
; Haydn joined his ensemble the following year, later to be joined by his younger brother Michael
. Both served until they were teenagers and had lost their soprano voices.
It was naturally assumed that the youngsters were likely to become professional musicians in adulthood and they were trained accordingly. Joseph Haydn was given singing lessons by the tenor Ignaz Finsterbusch and taught violin by the ensemble's bass player, Adam Gegenbauer. He was also taught keyboard. The training did not include serious instruction in musical theory; this was a thirst that Joseph was able to satisfy (by studying Fux and Mattheson
) only after he had left the Kapelle.
The choirboys were also given a basic ordinary education, including reading, writing, arithmetic, and some Latin. Wyn Jones suggests that "Haydn's formal education was rather patchy, perhaps less regular than it had been in [his previous home in] Hainburg."
The memoirs dictated by Joseph to biographers in his old age indicate that Reutter's choristers often were underfed, thanks to Reutter's reluctance to spend money on them. Reutter was also not particularly helpful in providing feedback on Joseph's earliest efforts at musical composition.
Reutter is believed to be the author of a setting of the De profundis
, KV 93, formerly ascribed to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
.
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
11 March 1772 Vienna) was an Austrian
Austrians
Austrians are a nation and ethnic group, consisting of the population of the Republic of Austria and its historical predecessor states who share a common Austrian culture and Austrian descent....
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
. According to Wyn Jones, in his prime he was "the single most influential musician in Vienna".
Early life
His father Georg ReutterGeorg Reutter
Georg Reutter was an Austrian organist, theorbo player and composer.- Biography :Reutter was born in Vienna and became a pupil of Johann Caspar Kerll, whom he later succeeded as organist at St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna, in 1686. In 1695 he spent some time in Italy...
(the Elder) was also a notable composer. He was the 11th of 14 children and received his early musical training from his father, assisting him as court organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
.
A period of more formal instruction from Antonio Caldara
Antonio Caldara
Antonio Caldara was an Italian Baroque composer.Caldara was born in Venice , the son of a violinist. He became a chorister at St Mark's in Venice, where he learned several instruments, probably under the instruction of Giovanni Legrenzi...
ensued, leading to the composition of an oratorio
Oratorio
An oratorio is a large musical composition including an orchestra, a choir, and soloists. Like an opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias...
in 1726 and, in 1727, his first opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
for the imperial court, Archidamia. On three separate occasions during this period, Reutter applied for a position as court organist and was each time rejected by Johann Joseph Fux. At his own expense he travelled to Italy in 1730 (possibly in 1729); in February 1730 he was in Venice and in April 1730 in Rome. He returned to Vienna in autumn 1730, and early in the following year he successfully applied for a post as court composer, the formal beginning of a lifetime of service at the Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
court. After his father's death he became Kapellmeister
Kapellmeister
Kapellmeister is a German word designating a person in charge of music-making. The word is a compound, consisting of the roots Kapelle and Meister . The words Kapelle and Meister derive from the Latin: capella and magister...
of St. Stephen's Cathedral
Stephansdom
St. Stephen's Cathedral is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Vienna and the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna, Christoph Cardinal Schönborn, OP...
in 1738.
As Kapellmeister
The Kapellmeister position had existed since the fifteenth century and Reutter was the 27th to occupy the post. The job provided living space directly adjacent to the Cathedral, the Kapellhaus (demolished 1803), which also housed Reutter's family and the choirboys.Reutter supervised a staff of 31 musicians, as follows:
- 5 choirboys, who sang the treble (soprano) part
- 12 adult male singers: basses, tenors, and countertenorCountertenorA countertenor is a male singing voice whose vocal range is equivalent to that of a contralto, mezzo-soprano, or a soprano, usually through use of falsetto, or far more rarely than normal, modal voice. A pre-pubescent male who has this ability is called a treble...
s. The latter sang the alto part. - 12 string players
- an organist
- a subcantor, who assisted Reutter
When trumpets, timpani, or trombones were needed, they were recruited on an ad hoc basis, often borrowed from the musical establishment of the Imperial court (Hofkapelle).
According to Wyn Jones, the repertoire of church music "constituted a continually unfolding tradition that is poorly served by the familiar division of the [18th] century into Baroque
Baroque music
Baroque music describes a style of Western Classical music approximately extending from 1600 to 1760. This era follows the Renaissance and was followed in turn by the Classical era...
and Classical
Classical period (music)
The dates of the Classical Period in Western music are generally accepted as being between about 1750 and 1830. However, the term classical music is used colloquially to describe a variety of Western musical styles from the ninth century to the present, and especially from the sixteenth or...
." Much of this repertoire was by Reutter himself (see Works, below); other composers prominently represented were Bonno
Giuseppe Bonno
Giuseppe Bonno was an Austrian composer of Italian origin....
, Tuma, and Fux.
Reutter and Haydn
In 1739, while visiting the town of HainburgHainburg
Hainburg may refer to the following places:* Hainburg an der Donau, Lower Austria, Austria* Hainburg, Germany, Hesse, Germany...
, Reutter auditioned the seven-year-old Joseph Haydn
Joseph Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...
; Haydn joined his ensemble the following year, later to be joined by his younger brother Michael
Michael Haydn
Johann Michael Haydn was an Austrian composer of the classical period, the younger brother of Joseph Haydn.-Life:...
. Both served until they were teenagers and had lost their soprano voices.
It was naturally assumed that the youngsters were likely to become professional musicians in adulthood and they were trained accordingly. Joseph Haydn was given singing lessons by the tenor Ignaz Finsterbusch and taught violin by the ensemble's bass player, Adam Gegenbauer. He was also taught keyboard. The training did not include serious instruction in musical theory; this was a thirst that Joseph was able to satisfy (by studying Fux and Mattheson
Johann Mattheson
Johann Mattheson was a German composer, 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...
) only after he had left the Kapelle.
The choirboys were also given a basic ordinary education, including reading, writing, arithmetic, and some Latin. Wyn Jones suggests that "Haydn's formal education was rather patchy, perhaps less regular than it had been in [his previous home in] Hainburg."
The memoirs dictated by Joseph to biographers in his old age indicate that Reutter's choristers often were underfed, thanks to Reutter's reluctance to spend money on them. Reutter was also not particularly helpful in providing feedback on Joseph's earliest efforts at musical composition.
Later career
Reutter later advanced to the position of court Kapellmeister, and Empress Maria Theresia gave him the sole management of the court orchestra in 1751. Reutter died in Vienna.Music
In addition to the works mentioned above, Reutter wrote a great deal of church music. Wyn Jones lists the following:- about 80 massMass (music)The Mass, a form of sacred musical composition, is a choral composition that sets the invariable portions of the Eucharistic liturgy to music...
es - 6 requiemRequiemA Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead or Mass of the dead , is a Mass celebrated for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, using a particular form of the Roman Missal...
s - 17 graduals
- 31 offertories
- 126 motetMotetIn classical music, motet is a word that is applied to a number of highly varied choral musical compositions.-Etymology:The name comes either from the Latin movere, or a Latinized version of Old French mot, "word" or "verbal utterance." The Medieval Latin for "motet" is motectum, and the Italian...
s - 151 psalm settings
- 53 hymns
- 48 antiphonAntiphonAn antiphon in Christian music and ritual, is a "responsory" by a choir or congregation, usually in Gregorian chant, to a psalm or other text in a religious service or musical work....
s - 7 responses
- 20 litaniesLitanyA litany, in Christian worship and some forms of Jewish worship, is a form of prayer used in services and processions, and consisting of a number of petitions...
Reutter is believed to be the author of a setting of the De profundis
Psalm 130
Psalm 130 , traditionally De profundis from its Latin incipit, is one of the Penitential psalms.-Commentary:...
, KV 93, formerly ascribed to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
.