Schmelzer, Johann Heinrich (EN)

Schmelzer, Schmeltzer, Schmelzer von Ehrenruef, Johann Heinrich, *ca. 1620–23 Scheibbs (Lower Austria), †between 29 February and 20 March 1680 Prague, Austrian violinist and composer. In 1635–36, he became a chamber musician at the Viennese court, where he probably studied under Antonio Bertali, Giovanni Sansoni or Burckhardt Kugler. In 1643, he was an instrumentalist at St Stephen’s Cathedral, and on 1 October 1649, he became a violinist in the emperor’s court orchestra. In 1658, he conducted the orchestra in Frankfurt during the coronation of Emperor Leopold I, whose trusted musical advisor he was. On 13 April 1671, he became deputy conductor of the imperial orchestra, and in 1673, the emperor granted him a title of nobility. In 1679, he became the first Austrian to be appointed Kapellmeister of the Habsburg court, having previously stood in for G.F. Sances in this role for many years. He was one of the most outstanding Austrian violin virtuosos of the 17th century and a highly regarded composer of instrumental music. His sons Andreas Anton (1653–1701), Georg Joseph (1655–before 1701) and Peter Clemens (1672–1746) were violinists at the Viennese court.

Alongside H.I.F. Biber and J.J. Walther, Schmelzer was one of the most outstanding Austrian composers of instrumental music in the second half of the 17th century; he made a significant contribution to the development of the German suite and sonata. His ballet suites for mixed ensemble, written for the imperial stage in Vienna, have between two and nine movements. They consist of an intrada followed by a series of dances (e.g. pavane, galliard, sarabande, gigue, gavotte, allemande, courante, etc.) interspersed with passages of an illustrative or programmatic character (e.g. Cacciatori, May Blumen) and conclude with a retirada. The unifying element is not always a common key, but rather the similarity of motifs. In these works, Schmelzer was one of the first to introduce elements of Austrian folklore (e.g. Aria styriaca, Aria bavarica). The six sonatas for solo violin and basso continuo from 1664, which show the influence of G.A. Pandolfi, who was active in Innsbruck, are the first collection of this type in German culture. Ostinato variations occupy a central place in these works, providing an opportunity for virtuoso figurations within the six violin positions; Schmelzer, however, avoids chordal playing, so characteristic of German violin playing. His vocal works were the result of his work as a Kapellmeister and are of marginal significance. They show clear Italian influences, particularly from the Venetian school. 

Literature: E. Wellesz Die Ballett-Suiten von Johann Heinrich und Andreas Anton Schmelzer, Vienna 1914; R. Flotzinger Johann Heinrich Schmelzer. Sonata “Lanterly” and A. Koczirz Zur Lebensgeschichte Johann Heinrich Schmelzer, “Studien zur Musikwissenschaft” XXVI, 1964; H. Seifert Johann Heinrich Schmelzer und Kremsier, in: Musik des 17. Jahrhunderts und Pavel Vejvanovský, ed. J. Sehnal, Brno 1994; Ch.E. Brewer, The Instrumental Music of Schmeltzer, Biber, Muffat and their Contemporaries, Farnham 2011; P. Slouka, Příspěvek ke světské hudebnědramatické tvorbě Johanna Heinricha Schmelzera (1620/23–1680), “Acta musicologica: Revue pro hudebni vědu”, I (2014); P. Slouka, Serenata J.H. Schmelzera k zásnubám arcivévodkyně Marie Antonie Habsburské, “Opus musicum“ XLVII/4 (2015); P. Slouka, Německojazyčné holdovací serenaty Johanna Heinricha Schmelzera w: Cantantibus organis: Hudební kultura raného novověku ve středoevropských souvislostech—Ad honorem Jiří Sehnal, Brno 2016;. P. Slouka, Johann Heinrich Schmelzer’s serenata for the celebrations of Maria Antonia Habsburg’s birthday, “Musicologica brunensia“ LII (2017); P. Slouka, Zásnubní serenata Johanna Heinricha Schmelzera ve sbírce biskupa Karla z Lichtensteinu-Castelcorna in: Kroměřížský hudební archiv. I: Hudební sbírka biskupa Karla z Lichtensteinu-Castelcorna, ed. K. Fajtlová, Olomouc 2018; P. Slouka, Viva eterno Leopoldo!: Italian birthday serenatas by Johann Heinrich Schmelzer, “Musicologica brunensia” LIII (2018); Ch.E. Brewer, Johann Heinrich Schmelzer and the trumpet, “International Trumpet Guild Journal”, XLII (2019); P. Slouka, Německojazyčná sepolkra Johanna Heinricha Schmelzera, “Opus musicum“, LI/1 (2019); P. Slouka, Italská sepolkra Johanna Heinricha Schmelzera, “Opus musicum“, LI/5 (2019).