Johan Mazer (7 March 1790,

Stockholm Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, largest city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people liv ...

- 25 October 1847, Stockholm) was a Swedish merchant, musician, concert manager, and collector.

Biography

He was born to Jean-Pierre Mazer († 1829), a silk weaver and stocking maker, originally from France, and his first wife, Brita Maria née Sjöman. He and his younger brother, Anton, went to a French convent school, where he studied music and Latin. When their father died, he left them a large fortune, and they took over his company; Anton oversaw the manufacturing, and Johan the sales. Their half-brother, Carl Peter, was studying art in Paris and never took part in the company's operations..Carl Kinberg, "Mazérska qvartettsällskapet: ett femtioårsminne", In: ''Mazerska kvartettsällskapet'', 1999 ( LIBRISbr>Online
It soon became clear that Johan was more interested in music than business. His summers were spent at his home on Djurgården, hosting concerts of

chamber music Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small numb ...

.Biography and notes
by Eva Block @ ''

Svenskt biografiskt lexikon ''Svenskt biografiskt lexikon'' () is a Swedish biographical dictionary, started in 1917. The first volume, covering names ''Abelin'' to ''Anjou'', was published in 1918. As of 2017, names from A to S are covered. Volumes # ABELIN – ANJOU (1 ...

'' The participants ranged from capable amateurs to well-known professionals. Each session was recorded in a journal; in meticulous detail. Altogether, 358 gatherings were held, and over 1200 pieces of music played.Hans Åstrand (Ed.), ''Sohlmans musiklexikon'', 2nd ed., 1975-1979 The affairs always featured a meal, which he often cooked himself. In the process, he collected a large amount of

sheet music Sheet music is a handwritten or printed form of musical notation that uses List of musical symbols, musical symbols to indicate the pitches, rhythms, or chord (music), chords of a song or instrumental Musical composition, musical piece. Like ...

, which he had professionally bound. He also collected instruments, such as violins by the Guarneris and the Amatis. Once, he built his own

contrabass Contrabass (from it, contrabbasso) refers to several musical instruments of very low pitch—generally one octave below bass register instruments. While the term most commonly refers to the double bass (which is the bass instrument in the orchest ...

. In 1840, he was elected a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music, second class; a category that included music conoisseurs and promoters. He was presented with a medal, inscribed with the Academy's motto: " Anda och Konst" (Spirit and Art). In his will, he decreed that the meetings should continue, and that his friends should form a company for that purpose. They followed his wishes and, in 1849, the "" (Quartet Company) began its activities. Although its procedures have changed somewhat, the Company continues to meet today. Their concerts have been recorded since the technology first became available, creating a valuable historical record. Mazer, who never married or had children, bequeathed his notes to King Oscar I. His instruments and sheet music went to what is now the (Music and Theatre Library), while a monetary donation went to the Royal Academy, for the purpose of establishing an amateur Quartet Company, that would perform there.

References

External links

Mazerska kvartettsällskapet
home page {{DEFAULTSORT:Mazer, Johan 1790 births 1847 deaths Swedish male musicians 19th-century male musicians Musicians from Stockholm