Johann Friedrich Agricola
Encyclopedia
Johann Friedrich Agricola (4 January 1720 – 2 December 1774) was a German
composer
, organist
, singer, pedagogue, and writer
on music. He sometimes wrote under the pseudonym Flavio Anicio Olibrio.
, Thuringia
. While a student of law at Leipzig
he studied music under Johann Sebastian Bach
. In 1741 he went to Berlin
, where he studied musical composition under Johann Joachim Quantz
.
He was soon generally recognized as one of the most skillful organists of his time. The success of his comic opera, Il filosofo convinto in amore, performed at Potsdam
in 1750, led to an appointment as court composer to Frederick the Great. In 1759, on the death of Carl Heinrich Graun
, he was appointed conductor of the royal orchestra. He married the noted operatic soprano Benedetta Emilia Molteni, a marriage of which the king apparently disapproved. Agricola died in Berlin at 54.
During his lifetime, Agricola wrote a number of Italian operas, as well as Lieder, chorale
preludes, various other keyboard pieces and church music, especially oratorio
s and cantata
s. His reputation chiefly rests, however, on his theoretical and critical writings on musical subjects. In 1754 he co-wrote with Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
an obituary for J.S. Bach. His 1757 Anleitung zur Singekunst (Introduction to the Art of Singing) is a translation of Pier Francesco Tosi
's 1723 treatise Opinioni de' cantori antichi e moderni with Agricola's own extensive comments. He edited and added extensive commentary to the 1768 (posthumous) edition of Jakob Adlung
's Musica mechanica organoedi (English translation).
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...
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...
, organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
, singer, pedagogue, and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
on music. He sometimes wrote under the pseudonym Flavio Anicio Olibrio.
Biography
Agricola was born in DobitschenDobitschen
Dobitschen is a municipality in the Altenburger Land district, in the far eastern part of Thuringia, Germany.-Geography:The bounding municipalities are Altkirchen, Drogen, Göllnitz, Lumpzig, Mehna und Naundorf in Altenberger Land.-Historical population:...
, Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
. While a student of law at 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...
he studied music under 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...
. In 1741 he went to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, where he studied musical composition under Johann Joachim Quantz
Johann Joachim Quantz
Johann Joachim Quantz was a German flutist, flute maker and composer.-Biography:Quantz was born in Oberscheden, near Göttingen, Germany, and died in Potsdam....
.
He was soon generally recognized as one of the most skillful organists of his time. The success of his comic opera, Il filosofo convinto in amore, performed at Potsdam
Potsdam
Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....
in 1750, led to an appointment as court composer to Frederick the Great. In 1759, on the death of Carl Heinrich Graun
Carl Heinrich Graun
Carl Heinrich Graun was a German composer and tenor singer. Along with Johann Adolf Hasse, he is considered to be the most important German composer of Italian opera of his time.-Biography:...
, he was appointed conductor of the royal orchestra. He married the noted operatic soprano Benedetta Emilia Molteni, a marriage of which the king apparently disapproved. Agricola died in Berlin at 54.
During his lifetime, Agricola wrote a number of Italian operas, as well as Lieder, 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....
preludes, various other keyboard pieces and church music, especially oratorio
Oratorio
An oratorio is a large musical composition including an orchestra, a choir, and soloists. Like an opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias...
s and cantata
Cantata
A cantata is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir....
s. His reputation chiefly rests, however, on his theoretical and critical writings on musical subjects. In 1754 he co-wrote with Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
right|250pxCarl Philipp Emanuel Bach was a German Classical period musician and composer, the fifth child and second son of Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara Bach...
an obituary for J.S. Bach. His 1757 Anleitung zur Singekunst (Introduction to the Art of Singing) is a translation of Pier Francesco Tosi
Pier Francesco Tosi
Pier Francesco Tosi was a castrato singer, composer, and writer on music. His Opinoni de' cantori antichi e moderni... was the first full-length treatise on singing and provides a unique glimpse into the technical and social aspects of Baroque vocal music.-Life and career:Pier Francesco Tosi was...
's 1723 treatise Opinioni de' cantori antichi e moderni with Agricola's own extensive comments. He edited and added extensive commentary to the 1768 (posthumous) edition of Jakob Adlung
Jakob Adlung
Jakob Adlung, or Adelung, was a German organist, teacher, instrument maker, music historian, and music theorist.-Biography:...
's Musica mechanica organoedi (English translation).