Johann Valentin Rathgeber (3 April 1682 – 2 June 1750) was a German

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

organist An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ (music), organ. An organist may play organ repertoire, solo organ works, play with an musical ensemble, ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumentalist, instrumental ...

and

choirmaster A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which sp ...

of the Baroque Era.

Life

Rathgeber was born in Oberelsbach. His father, an organist, gave him his first music lessons. At the beginning of the 18th century, he began studying at the

University of Würzburg The Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg (also referred to as the University of Würzburg, in German ''Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg'') is a public research university in Würzburg, Germany. The University of Würzburg is one of ...

, initially studying rhetoric, mathematics and law; later he changed direction and continued his studies in theology. His first position was as a teacher at the Julius Hospital in

Würzburg Würzburg (; Main-Franconian: ) is a city in the region of Franconia in the north of the German state of Bavaria. Würzburg is the administrative seat of the ''Regierungsbezirk'' Lower Franconia. It spans the banks of the Main River. Würzburg is ...

. In 1707 he took up the post of chamber musician and servant of the abbot of the Banz Abbey, Kilian Düring. A short time later he joined the

Benedictine Order , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...

, and in 1711 entered the priesthood. Thereafter, he was organist, choirmaster and preacher at the abbey. Between 1729 and 1738 he went on a study trip. It is an open question whether he did that with permission from his abbot or not. Documented stops on this trip were Mainz, Bonn, Cologne, Trier, Stuttgart, Regensburg, Germany, Switzerland, Vienna and Styria. Compositions from this period were primarily dedicated to his respective hosts. In 1738 he returned to the abbey, where he then lived in seclusion for a while. A short time later, he was allowed to regain his former office. He lived in the Banz Abbey until his death there, at the age of 68, which was attributed to

gout Gout ( ) is a form of inflammatory arthritis characterized by recurrent attacks of a red, tender, hot and swollen joint, caused by deposition of monosodium urate monohydrate crystals. Pain typically comes on rapidly, reaching maximal intensit ...

Work

Rathgeber was a very versatile and productive composer and was one of the most popular and respected composers in southern Germany. He composed both secular and sacred works, the majority of his output being sacred vocal works. He wrote several hundred works, mainly

mass Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a physical body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics. It was found that different atoms and different elementar ...

es (43),

hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' ...

aria In music, an aria (Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompanime ...

s, litanies,

requiem A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead ( la, Missa pro defunctis) or Mass of the dead ( la, Missa defunctorum), is a Mass of the Catholic Church offered for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, ...

s, magnificats,

offertories The offertory (from Medieval Latin ''offertorium'' and Late Latin ''offerre'') is the part of a Eucharistic service when the bread and wine for use in the service are ceremonially placed on the altar. A collection of alms (offerings) from the co ...

(164), Marian antiphons (44) and also instrumental concertos (24) and songs. His ''Augsburger Tafel-Confect'', short for ''Ohren-vergnügendes und Gemüth-ergötzendes Tafel-Confect'' (''Augsburg Table Confectionery'', short for ''Table Confectionery, Pleasuring the Ears and Delightful to the Soul'') is a collection of songs meant to be performed for dessert, whereas a ''Tafelmusik'' was performed during a main course. He published three editions of his work in 1733, 1737 and 1739,

Johann Caspar Seyfert Johann Caspar Seyfert (1697 – 26 May 1767, Augsburg) was a German composer, violinist and lute player. He was a music director in Augsburg where he was born and died. In 1746 he added a fourth volume to the ''Augsburger Tafel-Confect'', which Val ...

adding a fourth in 1746.„Alleweil ein wenig lustig“ – Musikalische Leckerbissen aus dem Ohren-vergnügenden und Gemüth-ergötzenden Tafel-Confect
Valentin-Rathgeber-Gesellschaft (in German)

Worklist (selection)

* ''Augsburger Tafel-Confect'' * Opus I ''Octava musica clavium octo musicarum in Missis octo musicalibus'' (mass compositions) * Opus II (vespers) * Opus III (masses) * Opus IV (offertories with instrumental accompaniment) * Opus V (antiphons for the church year) * Opus VI (secular instrumental works) * Opus VII (masses for the church year) * Opus VIII (requiem and Libera) * Opus IX ''Psalmodia vespertina'' (vespers cycle) * Opus X (Latin and German arias) * Opus XI (hymns) * Opus XII (rural and town masses) * Opus XIII (Miserere and Tantum ergo) * Opus XIV (offertories cycle in 3 parts) * Opus XV (offertories) * Opus XVI (antiphons) * Opus XVII (vesper cycle) * Opus XVIII (litanies) * Opus XIX (masses) * Opus XX (offertories)

References

External links

Intern.-Valentin-Rathgeber-Society
musica-dei-donum.org * *

Recordings

* ''Messe von Muri, Concerti''. Capella Murensis, ensemble arcimboldo, Direction: Johannes Strobl / Thilo Hirsch. Audite, 2007.

Sources

* Max Hellmuth: ''Der Barockkomponist Valentin Rathgeber''. Phil. Diss., Erlangen 1943. * Otto Ursprung: ''Valentin Rathgeber''. In: ''Handbuch der Musikwissenschaft. Band 2 – Die Katholische Kirchenmusik.'' Laaber Verlag Wiesbaden 1979. Kapitel 4, S. 228ff. * Elizabeth Roche: ''Rathgeber, Johann Valentin''. In: ''The New Grove. Dictionary of Music and Musicians.'' Band 15. London 1980. . * Alfred Baumgartner: ''Valentin Rathgeber''. In: ''Der Große Musikführer. Band 2 – Barockmusik''. Kiesel-Verlag 1981. S. 560. * Hans Kleiner, Erhard Nowak: ''Nur wer die Musik liebt. Valentin Rathgeber, Heimat, Herkunft, Leben und Werk.'' Verlag Dietrich Pfaehler, Neustadt an der Saale 1981, . *

Franz Krautwurst Franz Xaver Krautwurst (7 August 1923 – 30 November 2015) was a German musicologist and academic teacher . Life Born in Munich, In addition to his many years as professor at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg and the University of Augsbur ...

: ''Rathgeber, Johann Valentin''. In: ''Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart.'' Band 7. Kassel 1989. S. 19–22. * * Arnold Feil: ''Valentin Rathgeber''. In: ''Metzler Musik Chronik.'' Stuttgart/Weimar 2005. S. 279f. * Wilfried Dotzauer: ''Aspekte zur fränkischen Kirchenmusik des 18. Jahrhunderts im Bamberger Raum''. In: Ludger Stühlmeyer (Hg.) ''Stationen der Kirchenmusik im Erzbistum Bamberg.'' Bamberg 2007. S. 41–52. * *

Ludger Stühlmeyer Ludger Stühlmeyer (born 3 October 1961 in Melle, West Germany) is a German cantor, composer, docent and musicologist. Biography Stühlmeyer was born to a family of cantors and made his first steps under the guidance of his father in the town chu ...

: ''Johann Valentin Rathgeber.'' Ein Beitrag zur Wanderausstellung 2011. In: Heinrichsblatt, Katholische Wochenzeitung des Erzbistums Bamberg, No.32. Bamberg August 2011 und Katholische Sonntagszeitung für Deutschland. Köln August 2011. * Ludger Stühlmeyer: ''Das Ohr am Puls der Zeit – der Klosterkomponist Johann Valentin Rathgeber. Fleißiger Kantorensohn mit spiraligem Studienweg.'' In: ''

Musica sacra ''Musica sacra'' is a magazine about sacred music, published by the Allgemeiner Cäcilien-Verband für Deutschland (ACV). It is the oldest trade paper for Catholic church music, especially liturgical music, still publishing in Germany., ''Grundriß ...

'', 132. Jahrgang, Heft 2, Kassel 2012. S. 80–81. * Ludger Stühlmeyer: ''Johann Valentin Rathgeber. Kantor, Komponist und Benediktiner.'' In: ''Jahrbuch des Erzbistums Bamberg, 91. Jahrgang 2016''. Heinrichs-Verlag Bamberg, Juni 2015, . * Barbara und Ludger Stühlmeyer: ''Johann Valentin Rathgeber. Leben und Werk.'' Verlag Sankt Michaelsbund, München 2016, . {{DEFAULTSORT:Rathgeber, Valentin 1682 births 1750 deaths German classical organists German male organists German Baroque composers German Benedictines 18th-century keyboardists 18th-century classical composers German male classical composers People from Rhön-Grabfeld 18th-century German composers 18th-century German male musicians Male classical organists