Johann Paul von Westhoff (1656 – buried 17 April 1705) was a GermanBaroquecomposer and violinist. One of the most important exponents of the Dresden violin school, he was among the highest ranked violinists of his day, and composed some of the earliest known music for solo violin. He worked as musician and composer as a member of Dresden's Hofkapelle (1674–1697) and at the Weimar court (1699–1705), and was also active as a teacher of contemporary languages.
Westhoff's surviving music comprises seven works for violin and basso continuo and seven for solo violin, all published during his lifetime. More works, particularly a 1682 collection of solo violin music, are currently considered lost. His work, together with that of Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber and Johann Jakob Walther, greatly influenced the subsequent generation of German violinists, and the six partitas for solo violin inspired Johann Sebastian Bach's famous violin sonatas and partitas.
A panorama of Dresden in 1650, engraving by Matthäus Merian.
The composer was born in the Dresden, then capital of Saxony. He received a solid musical education as a pupil of Heinrich Schütz (d. 1672), and in 1674 joined the Dresden Hofkapelle, where his father, a former Swedish cavalry officer, Friedrich von Westhoff worked. The Hofkapelle had a strong violin tradition that started with Carlo Farina's publications of the 1620s, and was continued and supported during Westhoff's time by the celebrated violinist Johann Jakob Walther and operatic composer Nicolaus Adam Strungk.[1] Westhoff remained a member of the Hofkapelle for more than 20 years, during which he travelled throughout Europe. He left Dresden in 1697 and briefly taught contemporary languages at the University of Wittenberg (later merged with University of Halle into University of Halle-Wittenberg). Then, in 1699, Westhoff became chamber secretary, chamber musician and teacher of French and Italian at the court at Weimar. Westhoff died in Weimar in April 1705. The exact date of death is unknown.[2]
Westhoff's reputation was extremely high during his lifetime. Contemporaries ranked him, along with Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber and Johann Jakob Walther, among the best German violinists of the era. Already in 1671, at the age of 15, he was so well-connected that he became a tutor to two Saxon princes,[2]Johann George and Friedrich August. His influence must have spread wide, too, since journeys took him to numerous countries: Hungary, Italy, France (where he played before Louis XIV in 1682), the Dutch Republic, and the imperial court in Vienna. For instance, Westhoff's 1682 sonata is found in an Italian source, and his music must have influenced Giuseppe Colombi and other prominent Italian violinists of the time.[3]
Musicedit
The beginning of the chromatic gigue from Partita No. 1 in A minor for solo violin by Westhoff.
His style was influenced by that of the somewhat older Walther, with whom he worked for several years at the Dresden Hofkapelle. In turn, Westhoff influenced Johann Sebastian Bach, who was his colleague in Weimar; the two composers probably met in 1703.[4] Westhoff's known music includes two collections published during his lifetime: Sonate a Violino solo con basso continuo (Dresden, 1694) and six solo partitas for violin published in Dresden in 1696. The solo partitas may be a reprint of a collection currently considered lost, Erstes Dutzend Allemanden, Couranten, Sarabanden und Giguen Violino Solo sonder Passo Continuo (Dresden, 1682). Furthermore, two pieces by Westhoff were published in a French magazine, Mercure galant. The first was a sonata for violin and basso continuo published in the December 1682 issue—apparently the piece Westhoff played for Louis XIV, which the king greatly admired.[5] The second, a suite for solo violin, was published in the January 1683 issue.
Westhoff's 1683 suite is the earliest known multi-movement piece for solo violin. Along with the six solo partitas, it was an important forerunner of Johann Sebastian Bach's celebrated Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin. These were started during Bach's Weimar years and finished some 24 years after the earliest known print of Westhoff's partitas; the musical characteristics seem to show that Bach's work was at least conceptually indebted to Westhoff's.[4] Westhoff's violin writing is highly advanced, featuring double stopping up to the fourth position. Westhoff's solo violin music is distinctly German, with dense polyphony and robust themes, but the continuo sonatas show a pronounced Italian influence.[2]
List of worksedit
Erstes Dutzend Allemanden, Couranten, Sarabanden und Giguen Violino Solo sonder Basso Continuo (Dresden, 1682), lost
Sonata for violin and basso continuo (December 1682, published in Mercure galant)
Suite for violin solo (January 1683, published in Mercure galant)
Sonate a Violino solo con basso continuo (Dresden, 1694)
johann, paul, westhoff, 1656, buried, april, 1705, german, baroque, composer, violinist, most, important, exponents, dresden, violin, school, among, highest, ranked, violinists, composed, some, earliest, known, music, solo, violin, worked, musician, composer, . Johann Paul von Westhoff 1656 buried 17 April 1705 was a German Baroque composer and violinist One of the most important exponents of the Dresden violin school he was among the highest ranked violinists of his day and composed some of the earliest known music for solo violin He worked as musician and composer as a member of Dresden s Hofkapelle 1674 1697 and at the Weimar court 1699 1705 and was also active as a teacher of contemporary languages Westhoff s surviving music comprises seven works for violin and basso continuo and seven for solo violin all published during his lifetime More works particularly a 1682 collection of solo violin music are currently considered lost His work together with that of Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber and Johann Jakob Walther greatly influenced the subsequent generation of German violinists and the six partitas for solo violin inspired Johann Sebastian Bach s famous violin sonatas and partitas Contents 1 Life 2 Music 3 List of works 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksLife edit nbsp A panorama of Dresden in 1650 engraving by Matthaus Merian The composer was born in the Dresden then capital of Saxony He received a solid musical education as a pupil of Heinrich Schutz d 1672 and in 1674 joined the Dresden Hofkapelle where his father a former Swedish cavalry officer Friedrich von Westhoff worked The Hofkapelle had a strong violin tradition that started with Carlo Farina s publications of the 1620s and was continued and supported during Westhoff s time by the celebrated violinist Johann Jakob Walther and operatic composer Nicolaus Adam Strungk 1 Westhoff remained a member of the Hofkapelle for more than 20 years during which he travelled throughout Europe He left Dresden in 1697 and briefly taught contemporary languages at the University of Wittenberg later merged with University of Halle into University of Halle Wittenberg Then in 1699 Westhoff became chamber secretary chamber musician and teacher of French and Italian at the court at Weimar Westhoff died in Weimar in April 1705 The exact date of death is unknown 2 Westhoff s reputation was extremely high during his lifetime Contemporaries ranked him along with Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber and Johann Jakob Walther among the best German violinists of the era Already in 1671 at the age of 15 he was so well connected that he became a tutor to two Saxon princes 2 Johann George and Friedrich August His influence must have spread wide too since journeys took him to numerous countries Hungary Italy France where he played before Louis XIV in 1682 the Dutch Republic and the imperial court in Vienna For instance Westhoff s 1682 sonata is found in an Italian source and his music must have influenced Giuseppe Colombi and other prominent Italian violinists of the time 3 Music edit nbsp The beginning of the chromatic gigue from Partita No 1 in A minor for solo violin by Westhoff His style was influenced by that of the somewhat older Walther with whom he worked for several years at the Dresden Hofkapelle In turn Westhoff influenced Johann Sebastian Bach who was his colleague in Weimar the two composers probably met in 1703 4 Westhoff s known music includes two collections published during his lifetime Sonate a Violino solo con basso continuo Dresden 1694 and six solo partitas for violin published in Dresden in 1696 The solo partitas may be a reprint of a collection currently considered lost Erstes Dutzend Allemanden Couranten Sarabanden und Giguen Violino Solo sonder Passo Continuo Dresden 1682 Furthermore two pieces by Westhoff were published in a French magazine Mercure galant The first was a sonata for violin and basso continuo published in the December 1682 issue apparently the piece Westhoff played for Louis XIV which the king greatly admired 5 The second a suite for solo violin was published in the January 1683 issue Westhoff s 1683 suite is the earliest known multi movement piece for solo violin Along with the six solo partitas it was an important forerunner of Johann Sebastian Bach s celebrated Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin These were started during Bach s Weimar years and finished some 24 years after the earliest known print of Westhoff s partitas the musical characteristics seem to show that Bach s work was at least conceptually indebted to Westhoff s 4 Westhoff s violin writing is highly advanced featuring double stopping up to the fourth position Westhoff s solo violin music is distinctly German with dense polyphony and robust themes but the continuo sonatas show a pronounced Italian influence 2 List of works editErstes Dutzend Allemanden Couranten Sarabanden und Giguen Violino Solo sonder Basso Continuo Dresden 1682 lost Sonata for violin and basso continuo December 1682 published in Mercure galant Suite for violin solo January 1683 published in Mercure galant Sonate a Violino solo con basso continuo Dresden 1694 Solo partitas for violin Dresden 1696 possibly a partial reprint of Erstes Dutzend Notes edit Steude Grove a b c Gothel Wollny Grove Barnett 2008 152 154 a b Wolff 2002 133 Barnett 2008 150 151 References editBarnett Gregory 2008 Bolognese Instrumental Music 1660 1710 Ashgate Publishing Ltd ISBN 0 7546 5871 6 Gothel Folker amp Wollny Peter 2001 Johann Paul von Westhoff In Sadie Stanley amp Tyrrell John eds The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians 2nd ed London Macmillan Publishers ISBN 978 1 56159 239 5 Steude Wolfram 2001 Dresden 1 To 1694 In Sadie Stanley Tyrrell John eds The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians 2nd ed London Macmillan Publishers ISBN 978 1 56159 239 5 Wolff Christoph 2002 Johann Sebastian Bach The Learned Musician Oxford University Press ISBN 0 19 924884 2External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Johann Paul von Westhoff Free scores by Johann Paul von Westhoff at the International Music Score Library Project IMSLP Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Johann Paul von Westhoff amp oldid 1217485561, wikipedia, 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