Johann Christoph Altnickol
Encyclopedia
Johann Christoph Altnickol, or Altnikol, (1 January 1720 – 25 July 1759; dates of baptism
and burial
) was a German
organist
, bass singer, and composer
. He was a son-in-law
and copyist
of Johann Sebastian Bach
.
, Oberlausitz, and first educated at the Lauban Lyceum in 1733. He was employed as a singer and assistant organist at St Maria Magdalena, Breslau, between 1740 and 1744. He began studying theology
at the University of Leipzig
from March 1744, after being granted four thaler
s as a viaticum
in January of that year. From Michaelmas
1745 he sang as a bass in Johann Sebastian Bach
's choir
s (asserted by Bach in May 1747 when Altnickol claimed a grant of 12 thalers in April/May 1747 for the work), something he should not have been allowed to do as a university student. He was recommended by W. F. Bach as the successor to his post at Dresden
in April 1746, with the assertion that he had studied keyboard
and composition with his father, but was not awarded the appointment.
He was appointed as organist and schoolmaster
at Niederwiesa
, near Greiffenberg
, Silesia
, in January 1748, after Bach testified that he was a satisfactory student. In September of that year, he moved to a post at St Wenzel, Naumburg
after another recommendation from Bach; the council unanimously agreed to appoint him before they had received his formal application. He married Bach’s daughter Elisabeth Juliana Friderica in January 1749; their first son was born in October of the same year and named Johann Sebastian, but died in infancy
. Forkel
wrote that Bach dictated his last chorale
prelude (Vor deinen Thron tret ich hiermit, BWV 668) to Altnickol on his deathbed
, although this manuscript did not survive.
He acted as a trustee
after Bach died in 1750, and was involved in distributing his estate. He took his brother-in-law
Gottfried Heinrich Bach
, believed to have been mentally handicapped, into his household, and also took on the teaching of J.G. Müthel. He was unsuccessful in an application for a post at the Johanniskirche, Zittau
, in 1753, along with W. F. Bach. He taught trumpet
er J. Ernst Altenburg in 1757, and is known to have directed a pasticcio
Passion
cantata
featuring music by C.H. Graun, Bach and Telemann, as well as Bach's St. Matthew Passion. He was succeeded by Johann Friedrich Gräbner at Naumburg
upon his death in 1759. His widow
lived on an allowance from C. P. E. Bach, her half-brother. She is known to have remained in Naumburg until 1763, when her brother Gottfried Heinrich died; she later moved back to Leipzig
, where her two daughters married; she died on 24 August 1781.
and two cantata
s, have been lost. His compositions are not valued highly today; Bach spoke well of his compositional ability, perhaps due to their personal relationship.
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
and burial
Burial
Burial is the act of placing a person or object into the ground. This is accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing an object in it, and covering it over.-History:...
) was a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
organist
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
, bass singer, and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
. He was a son-in-law
Son-in-Law
Son-in-Law was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and an influential sire, especially for sport horses.The National Horseracing Museum says that Son-in-Law is "probably the best and most distinguished stayer this country has ever known." Described as "one of the principal influences for stamina in...
and copyist
Copyist
A copyist is a person who makes written copies. In ancient times, a scrivener was also called a calligraphus . The term's modern use is almost entirely confined to music copyists, who are employed by the music industry to produce neat copies from a composer or arranger's manuscript.-Music...
of Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
.
Biography
He was born in Berna bei SeidenbergSulików, Lower Silesian Voivodeship
Sulików is a village in Zgorzelec County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It is the seat of the administrative district called Gmina Sulików, close to the Czech border. Prior to 1945 it was in Germany....
, Oberlausitz, and first educated at the Lauban Lyceum in 1733. He was employed as a singer and assistant organist at St Maria Magdalena, Breslau, between 1740 and 1744. He began studying theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at the University of Leipzig
University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
from March 1744, after being granted four thaler
Thaler
The Thaler was a silver coin used throughout Europe for almost four hundred years. Its name lives on in various currencies as the dollar or tolar. Etymologically, "Thaler" is an abbreviation of "Joachimsthaler", a coin type from the city of Joachimsthal in Bohemia, where some of the first such...
s as a viaticum
Viaticum
Viaticum is a term used especially in the Roman Catholic Church for the Eucharist administered, with or without anointing of the sick, to a person who is dying, and is thus a part of the last rites...
in January of that year. From Michaelmas
Michaelmas
Michaelmas, the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel is a day in the Western Christian calendar which occurs on 29 September...
1745 he sang as a bass in Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
's choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
s (asserted by Bach in May 1747 when Altnickol claimed a grant of 12 thalers in April/May 1747 for the work), something he should not have been allowed to do as a university student. He was recommended by W. F. Bach as the successor to his post at Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
in April 1746, with the assertion that he had studied keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
and composition with his father, but was not awarded the appointment.
He was appointed as organist and schoolmaster
Schoolmaster
A schoolmaster, or simply master, once referred to a male school teacher. This usage survives in British public schools, but is generally obsolete elsewhere.The teacher in charge of a school is the headmaster...
at Niederwiesa
Niederwiesa
Niederwiesa is a municipality in the district of Mittelsachsen, in Saxony, Germany....
, near Greiffenberg
Greiffenberg
Greiffenberg may refer to:*Gryfów Śląski, Poland*Greiffenberg, Brandenburg, Germany...
, Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
, in January 1748, after Bach testified that he was a satisfactory student. In September of that year, he moved to a post at St Wenzel, Naumburg
Naumburg
Naumburg is a town in Germany, on the Saale River. It is in the district Burgenlandkreis in the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt. It is approximately southwest of Leipzig, south-southwest of Halle, and north-northeast of Jena....
after another recommendation from Bach; the council unanimously agreed to appoint him before they had received his formal application. He married Bach’s daughter Elisabeth Juliana Friderica in January 1749; their first son was born in October of the same year and named Johann Sebastian, but died in infancy
Infant mortality
Infant mortality is defined as the number of infant deaths per 1000 live births. Traditionally, the most common cause worldwide was dehydration from diarrhea. However, the spreading information about Oral Re-hydration Solution to mothers around the world has decreased the rate of children dying...
. Forkel
Forkel
Forkel can refer to:* Johann Nikolaus Forkel , a German musician and music theorist* Friedrich Forkel , a German jurist* Karen Forkel , a German track and field athlete* Martin Forkel , a German soccer defender...
wrote that Bach dictated his last chorale
Chorale
A chorale was originally a hymn sung by a Christian congregation. In certain modern usage, this term may also include classical settings of such hymns and works of a similar character....
prelude (Vor deinen Thron tret ich hiermit, BWV 668) to Altnickol on his deathbed
Deathbed
A deathbed is a place where a person dies or lies in during the last few hours before death.Deathbed may also refer to:* Deathbed conversion, a religious faith conversion...
, although this manuscript did not survive.
He acted as a trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
after Bach died in 1750, and was involved in distributing his estate. He took his brother-in-law
Brother-in-law
A brother-in-law is the brother of one's spouse, the husband of one's sibling, or the husband of one's spouse's sibling.-See also:*Affinity *Sister-in-law*Brothers in Law , a 1955 British comedy novel...
Gottfried Heinrich Bach
Gottfried Heinrich Bach
Gottfried Heinrich Bach was the firstborn son of Johann Sebastian Bach by his second wife Anna Magdalena Wilcke....
, believed to have been mentally handicapped, into his household, and also took on the teaching of J.G. Müthel. He was unsuccessful in an application for a post at the Johanniskirche, Zittau
Zittau
Zittau is a city in the south east of the Free State of Saxony, Germany, close to the border tripoint of Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic. , there are 28,638 people in the city. It is part of the Görlitz district....
, in 1753, along with W. F. Bach. He taught trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
er J. Ernst Altenburg in 1757, and is known to have directed a pasticcio
Pasticcio
In music, a pasticcio or pastiche is an opera or other musical work composed of works by different composers who may or may not have been working together, or an adaptation or localization of an existing work that is loose, unauthorized, or inauthentic.-Etymology:The term is first attested in the...
Passion
Passion music
In church music, Passion is a term for sung musical settings, normally at least partly choral, of the Gospel texts covering the Passion of Jesus, the events leading up to the Crucifixion of Jesus, and emphasising his suffering...
cantata
Cantata
A cantata is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir....
featuring music by C.H. Graun, Bach and Telemann, as well as Bach's St. Matthew Passion. He was succeeded by Johann Friedrich Gräbner at Naumburg
Naumburg
Naumburg is a town in Germany, on the Saale River. It is in the district Burgenlandkreis in the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt. It is approximately southwest of Leipzig, south-southwest of Halle, and north-northeast of Jena....
upon his death in 1759. His widow
Widow
A widow is a woman whose spouse has died, while a widower is a man whose spouse has died. The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed widowhood or occasionally viduity. The adjective form is widowed...
lived on an allowance from C. P. E. Bach, her half-brother. She is known to have remained in Naumburg until 1763, when her brother Gottfried Heinrich died; she later moved back to Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, where her two daughters married; she died on 24 August 1781.
Compositions
Many of his works, including a magnificatMagnificat
The Magnificat — also known as the Song of Mary or the Canticle of Mary — is a canticle frequently sung liturgically in Christian church services. It is one of the eight most ancient Christian hymns and perhaps the earliest Marian hymn...
and two cantata
Cantata
A cantata is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir....
s, have been lost. His compositions are not valued highly today; Bach spoke well of his compositional ability, perhaps due to their personal relationship.
Vocal
- MissaMass (music)The Mass, a form of sacred musical composition, is a choral composition that sets the invariable portions of the Eucharistic liturgy to music...
in D minor (KyrieKyrieKyrie, a transliteration of Greek κύριε , vocative case of κύριος , meaning "Lord", is the common name of an important prayer of Christian liturgy, which is also called the Kýrie, eléison ....
and GloriaGloria in Excelsis Deo"Gloria in excelsis Deo" is the title and beginning of a hymn known also as the Greater Doxology and the Angelic Hymn. The name is often abbreviated to Gloria in Excelsis or simply Gloria.It is an example of the psalmi idiotici "Gloria in excelsis Deo" (Latin for "Glory to God in the highest")...
) - SanctusSanctusThe Sanctus is a hymn from Christian liturgy, forming part of the Order of Mass. In Western Christianity, the Sanctus is sung as the final words of the Preface of the Eucharistic Prayer, the prayer of consecration of the bread and wine...
(2 settings), 1748
Cantatas
- Frohlocket und jauchzet in prächtigen Chören
- Ich lebe und ihr sollt auch leben
Further reading
- W. Neumann and H.J. Schulz, eds.: Bach-Dokumente I–III (Kassel and Leipzig, 1963–1972)
- Alfred DürrAlfred DürrAlfred Dürr was a German musicologist. He was a principal editor of the Neue Bach-Ausgabe, the second edition of the complete works of Johann Sebastian Bach.- Professional career :...
: ‘Zur Chronologie der Handschrift Johann Christoph Altnickols und Johann Friedrich AgricolaJohann Friedrich AgricolaJohann Friedrich Agricola was a German composer, organist, singer, pedagogue, and writer on music. He sometimes wrote under the pseudonym Flavio Anicio Olibrio.-Biography:...
s’, in Bach-Jahrbuch (1970) - Peter Wollny: Eine apokryphe Bachsche Passionsmusik in der Handschrift Johann Christoph Altnickols, in Leipziger Beiträge zur Bach-Forschung I (1995)
Sources
- Walter Emery/Andreas Glöckner: 'Altnickol [Altnikol], Johann Christoph', Grove Music Online ed. L. Macy (Accessed 2007-06-13), http://www.grovemusic.com/