Johann Mattheson was born on September 28, 1681, and died on April 17, 1764. He was a German composer, critic, dictionary writer, and music theorist. His writings about the late Baroque and early Classical periods were very influential. His biographical and theoretical works were widely shared and helped other lexicographers and historians.

Early life and career

Johann Mattheson was born on September 28, 1681, in Hamburg, Germany. His father was a wealthy tax collector, and Mattheson received a wide range of education. In addition to general music lessons, he studied keyboard instruments, violin, composition, and singing. By the age of nine, he was singing and playing the organ in church and was part of the Hamburg opera chorus. In 1696, he performed as a soloist in female roles with the Hamburg opera. Later, after his voice changed, he sang as a tenor, conducted rehearsals, and wrote operas. He served as cantor at St. Mary's Cathedral in Hamburg from 1718 until his hearing loss forced him to retire in 1728.

From 1706, Mattheson's main job was as a professional diplomat. He had studied English in school and could speak it fluently. He became a tutor for the son of Sir John Wich, the English ambassador, and later worked as the ambassador’s secretary. He traveled abroad on diplomatic missions for the ambassador. In 1709, he married Catharina Jennings, the daughter of an English clergyman. They did not have any children.

Friendship with Handel

Mattheson was a close friend of George Frideric Handel. However, during a performance of Mattheson's opera Die unglückselige Kleopatra, Königin von Ägypten in 1704, the two had a sudden argument. Mattheson nearly killed Handel with a sword, but a large button on Handel’s clothing deflected the blade and saved his life. After this incident, the two men reconciled and remained in contact for the rest of their lives. Following Handel’s death, Mattheson translated John Mainwaring’s biography of Handel into German. He published the work in Hamburg in 1761, paying for it himself ("auf Kosten des Übersetzers").

Death

After Johann Mattheson died in 1764, he was buried in the vault of Hamburg's St. Michaelis Church, where his grave can be visited.

Literary and musical legacy

Mattheson is best known as a music theorist. He wrote many books about how music was performed, the style of theater during the German Baroque period, and how music was structured. He is especially important for explaining how music and speech are connected, as seen in his books Das neu-eröffnete Orchestre (Hamburg, 1713) and Der vollkommene Capellmeister (Hamburg, 1739). His books also show that Mattheson was skilled at arguing strongly and clearly, though his ideas sometimes included overly detailed or pretentious explanations.

Most of his music was vocal, including eight operas, many oratorios, and cantatas. He also wrote a few sonatas and keyboard pieces, some meant to teach keyboard playing. Almost all of his music, except for one opera, one oratorio, and a few instrumental collections, was lost after World War II. It was later returned to Hamburg from Yerevan, Armenia, in 1998. This included four operas and most of the oratorios. The original manuscripts are now kept at the State and University Library in Hamburg.

Selected works

• The Unfortunate Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt (1704)
• Boris Goudenow (1710)

• The Healing Birth (1715), Christmas oratorio
• The Greatest Child (1720), Christmas oratorio
• The Merciful Joseph Against His Brothers (1727), oratorio
• The Loving and Patient David