Johan Mazer
Encyclopedia
Johan Mazer, Swedish, second generation, of Wallonian origin. He went to a French abbey school where he got, amongst other things, musical education. Businessman and passionate music lover and practitioner. Systematically played, at least from 1823, chamber music
in his home or in his summer residence in Djurgården (Stockholm
). A record of many soirées was kept with date, participants and works - "Djurgårdsbolaget". Amongst other things much contemporary music was played which had been hastily acquired from various publishers on the continent.
In his testament
Mazer requested that the tradition should be carried on and that his friends should build a society which would regularly meet and make music. His friends respected his request and in 1849 the Mazer String Quartet Society began its activity. As in Mazer's time professional musicians and non professional music lovers played together. The tradition of keeping a record of what was played was also continued, which gives an interesting testimony about music interests over time.
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
in his home or in his summer residence in Djurgården (Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
). A record of many soirées was kept with date, participants and works - "Djurgårdsbolaget". Amongst other things much contemporary music was played which had been hastily acquired from various publishers on the continent.
In his testament
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
Mazer requested that the tradition should be carried on and that his friends should build a society which would regularly meet and make music. His friends respected his request and in 1849 the Mazer String Quartet Society began its activity. As in Mazer's time professional musicians and non professional music lovers played together. The tradition of keeping a record of what was played was also continued, which gives an interesting testimony about music interests over time.