Ferdynand III, *13 July 1608 Graz, †2 April 1657 Vienna, Holy Roman Emperor from 1637, patron of the arts and composer. He supported Italian opera at his court. Kapellmeisters there were, among others: from 1629–49 G. Valentini, Ferdinand’s teacher, and from 1649 A. Bertali. At his court were also prominent German composers: J. J. Froberger and W. Ebner. In the field of composition, Ferdinand III was a pupil of G. Valentini, he composed in all the major genres of his time, although a significant portion of his legacy is lost.
Literature: G. Adler Die Kaiser Ferdinand III., Leopold I., Joseph I. und Karl VI. als Tonsetzer und Förderer der Musik, „Vierteljahrsschrift für Musikwissenschaft” VIII, 1892 No. 2; A.H. Weaver: Sacred Music as Public Image for Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand III: Representing the Counter-Reformation Monarch at the End of the Thirty Years’ War, Farnham 2012.
Compositions:
opera Drama musicum, 1649
Mass for 13 voices
2 motets
10 songs of exaltation
Miserere
Litaniae Lauretanae
Editions:
Musikalische Werke der Kaiser Ferdinand III., Leopold I. und Joseph I., edited by G. Adler, Vol. 2, Vienna 1892–93, reprint in Vol. 1, Farnborough 1971
