Ritter, Christian (EN)

Ritter, Christian *between 1645 and 1650, †after 1717 Hamburg (?), German composer and organist. He probably studied under Ch. Bernhard in Dresden. From about 1666 he served as an organist at the court in Halle; around 1680–1682 he was in Stockholm, first as a court organist and later as vice-Kapellmeister. From 18 May 1683 he was vice-Kapellmeister and organist at the court in Dresden, and in the years 1688–1699 he again held the post of vice-Kapellmeister at the court in Stockholm. From 1704 to 1717 he resided in Hamburg. According to J. Mattheson (“Critica musica” vol. 2, Hamburg 1725), Ritter may still have been alive in 1725.

Ritter’s compositional technique reveals the influence of the school of H. Schütz, yet his works display a distinct individual character. His vocal-instrumental music, entirely sacred, to German and Latin texts, holds primary importance. It includes small and large concertato forms, chorale and polychoral motets (Gelobet sei der Name des Herren from 1672 for 2 four-part choirs, 4 trumpets, timpani, 2 violins, 2 violas, bassoon, 2 cornetts, 3 trombones, and organ), as well as the cantata (O amatissime sponse Jesu for soprano, 2 violins, 2 violas, viola da gamba, and basso continuo). The distinctive character of his works stems from his use of contrasts in form, texture, and timbre; instruments also play an important role in shaping expression. In the funeral aria Was nimmt der eitle Mensch sich für, two piccolo flutes are set against four violas; in Miserere Christi mei, a consort of four viols is combined with basso continuo; in Einen guten Kampf hab ich gekämpfet, the viola d’amore is paired with flauti dolci. Elsewhere, strings are effectively combined with trumpets and timpani, or with flutes, oboes, and bassoon. In these compositions Ritter avoids the use of recitatives and da capo arias, preferring arioso and song-like forms. Recent research appears to confirm the opinion of J. Mattheson (Das beschützte Orchestre, Hamburg 1717) that Ritter is the author of the unfinished St John Passion formerly attributed to Handel. Among his small surviving body of instrumental works, notable is a toccata-like Sonatina in D minor and the Suite in discessum Caroli XI Regis Sveciae (1697), reminiscent of Froberger’s lament on the death of Emperor Ferdinand IV.

Literature: T. Norlind Zur Biographie Christian Ritters, “Sammelbände der Internationalen Musikgesellschaft” XII, 1910/11; H.J. Marx „… eines welt-berühmten Mannes gewisse Passion”. Zur Herkunft der Händel zugeschriebenen Johannes-Passion, “Musica” XLI, 1987.