Johann G. Albrechtsberger (1736-1809)

Gary Smith

            Master of musical theory, and teacher of Eybler, Hummel, Franz Xaver Mozart, Joseph Weigl and Beethoven. He was born in Klosterneuburg, Austria, 3 February, 1736. He began his musical career as a choirboy at the early age of seven. The pastor of St. Martin's at Klosterneuburg observed the boy's talent and his remarkable industry and took it upon himself to give him his first composition lessons. Young Albrechtsberger's ambition to succeed was so strong that reportedly did not even rest on Sundays and holidays. To further his learning he moved to become part of the musical establishment at the Benedictine Abbey at Melk. Here his beautiful soprano voice attracted the attention of the future Emperor Leopold, who on one occasion expressed his delight at the boy’s singing and presented Albrechtsberger with a ducat (say $200 US). The music library at Melk allowed him the opportunity to study the works of the baroque composers Caldara Fux, Pergolese, Handel, Graun etc. His study of these masters gave him a deep theoretical knowledge of music that earned him high esteem with his colleagues.

Having completed his studies Albrechtsberger became organist at the cathedral in Melk, where he remained for twelve years. He moved on to Raab in Hungary and then Mariatfel; in both places being in charge of the choirs. Subsequently he went to Vienna having been named choir-director of the Carmelite Church. There he took lessons from the court organist, Mann, who was highly esteemed at that time. Mann became his friend, as did also Joseph Haydn and his brother Michael, as well as other well-known musicians. In 1772 he obtained the position of court organist in Vienna, which Emperor Joseph II had promised to him years before. This position he held for twenty years, and then became choirmaster at St. Stephen's Cathedral. Here he gathered about him a collection of pupils over the years, some of which were destined to become musicians of great renown. Among these were Ludwig van Beethoven, Joseph Eybler, Johann Nepomuk Hummel, Joseph Weigl and others. Haydn thought very well of him; in writing to Eybler in 1789 he asked him to “…embrace for me those two great men, Mozart and Albrechtsberger.” A bit later, in 1790, when Mozart wrote out a testimonial for Eybler’s skill as a composer, he added in that he was “…a worthy pupil of his famous master Albrechtsberger.” In fact, Franz Xaver Mozart (Wolfgang Jr.) was offered a well-paid position mostly on the merit of having been a pupil of his; such was the international reputation he had achieved.

Albrechtsberger will probably always hold a high rank among musical scholars and theorists; his treatise on composition especially will remain a work of importance by reason of its clarity and minuteness of detail. His pupil, Ignaz Von Seyfried, published his complete works on thoroughbass, harmony and composition, in three large volumes. His main achievement in this area was to synthesize 18th century music theory into a language usable and practical for the contemporary instruction of students. His many church compositions, on the other hand, while ornate and technically correct, are dry, and emphasize the teacher and writer, not a composer of the heart. Of Albrechtsberger’s compositions, only about 35 are in print; of the unpublished remainder, the largest number of them is preserved in the library of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde at Vienna.

His works run to: 35 masses, 3 requiems, 48 graduals, 42 offertories, 10 vespers, 5 oratorios, 7 cantatas and scores of other religious works. Instrumental music by him includes 4 symphonies, a trombone concerto, 2 concertos for Jew’s harp (one must hear these to have any pretense of knowing all the ins and outs of Classical music!), a harp concerto and a large numbers of sonatas, divertimenti and chamber music. His keyboard writing (primarily for organ) runs to over 150 fugues, preludes and versets alone.

Sources:

Clive, Peter Mozart and His Circle: A Biographical Dictionary Yale University Press, New Haven 1993
Sadie, Stanley (Ed.) The New Groves Dictionary of Music and Musicians 2nd Edition Groves Dictionaries, New York 2000
 

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