Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Date

2021

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Music

Committee Chair

Janet Page

Committee Member

Ken Kreitner

Committee Member

Michelle Vigneau

Committee Member

John Baur

Abstract

Adolf Meiers Konzertante Musik fr Kontraba in der Wiener Klassik shows how the contrabass player and composer Johann Matthias Sperger (17501812) participated in both the public and private arenas of high society, toured as a soloist, and played in the leading Kapelle orchestras. His mastery of his instrument, which earned him the reputation of being one of the greatest soloists on the Viennese contrabass, has to this day overshadowed his reputation as a composer. This dissertation builds upon Meiers work, concentrating on Sperger as an entrepreneurial composer-performer who over time developed the skills of what today we would call strategic marketing, networking, brand building, and self-promotion. He had a firm grip on the characteristics that made him an exemplary musician and employed them with business savvy to thrive in the ever-changing social and political climate. Spergers manuscript Catalog: ber verschckte Musicalien (Mus. 3065/3, Landesbibliothek Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Gnther Uecker) reveals that many of his works were dispersed to various members of the aristocracy for financial gain or enticement. He recorded symphonic sets sent as applications for employment, chamber music exchanged or sold, and commissions. He also composed programmatic symphonies with selling points or gimmicks. Sinfonia in G (Mus. 5164, Schwerin LBMV) has theatrical characteristics like those found in Haydns Symphony no. 60 il Distratto. A later work, Sinfonia in F (Mus. 5155, LBMV) was counter to Haydns Farewell Symphony, the players entered the stage two at a time. How Sperger wrote for his instrument really set him apart from other composers. Many of his chamber works contain solo contrabass parts in the highest register and some require a scordatura. In both of his concerto arias with solo contrabass, he scored the contrabass to blend with the soprano voice. In a time when there was a great fascination with odd and unusual instrumentssuch as the glass harmonica, Jews harp, and other various musical inventions, Sperger carved out his niche as a virtuoso of the Viennese contrabass and composer for hire. And when the Viennese contrabass fell out of favor in Vienna, Sperger continued to achieve success in Germany and remain employed.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to ProQuest

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