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Nicola Matteis

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Genre
  
Classical

Nicola Matteis Nicola Matteis and his Ayrs for the Violin Music blog

Died
  
1714, London, United Kingdom

Books
  
The False Consonances of Musick: (1682)

Similar
  
Amandine Beyer, Gli Incogniti, Biagio Marini, Matthew Locke, Johann Heinrich Schmelzer

Nicola matteis suite for violin


Nicola Matteis (Matheis) (fl. c. 1670 – after 1714) was the earliest notable Italian Baroque violinist in London, whom Roger North judged in retrospect "to have bin a second to Corelli," and a composer of significant popularity in his time, though he has been utterly forgotten until the later 20th century.

Contents

Nicola Matteis httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

Very little is known of his early life, although Matteis was probably born in Naples, describing himself as 'Napolitano' in several of his works. He came to London in the early 1670s and according to the diarist Roger North, had a city merchant as a sponsor, who schooled him in the ways of currying favor from the gentry (by allowing them to accompany him in parlor recitals and other minor performances). John Evelyn reports in his diary for 19 November 1674, the earliest notice of Matteis, "I heard that stupendious Violin Signor Nichola (with other rare Musitians) whom certainly never mortal man Exceeded on that instrument, he had a stroak so sweete, & made it speake like the Voice of a man; & when he pleased, like a Consort of severall Instruments: he did wonders upon a Note: was an excellent Composer also. Nothing approch'd the violin in Nicholas' hand: he seem'd to be spiritato'd & plaied such ravishing things on a ground as astonishd us all."

Nicola Matteis FileNicola Matteis 1684jpg Wikimedia Commons

Matteis enjoyed great artistic and commercial success with his published music, notably four books of Ayres (1676, 1685), but married a rich widow in 1700 and retired from the London musical scene; according to North he nevertheless ended his days in ill health and poverty.

Nicola Matteis Nicola Matteis Diverse Bizzarie Sopra la Vecchia YouTube

Matteis is credited with changing the English taste for violin playing from the French style to a newer, Italian one. Contemporaries described him as using a longer bow, with a new bow hold (closer to that used by modern players). His reputation grew through his lifetime and resulted in high praise for his live performances (in concert, audiences were often certain that more than one violin was being played) and widespread popularity for his music. Knowing many of his customers were amateurs, Matteis tended to give precise instructions in the prefaces to his published Ayres, providing detailed notes on bowing, explanations of ornaments, tempos, and other directions. These notes have proved valuable resources for scholars reconstructing the performance practices of the time.

Nicola Matteis Nicola Matteis Fantasia YouTube

Notable Works

Nicola Matteis NICOLA MATTEIS Diverse bizzarrie sopra la vecchia Sarabanda YouTube

  • Ayrs For the Violin / Preludes, Allmands, Sarabands, Courantes, Gigues, Divisions, and Double Compositions fitted to all hands and capacities, by Nicola Matteis / The first Part (1676)
  • Other Ayrs, Preludes, Allmands, Sarabands... with full stops for the Violin, by Nicola Matteis / The Second Part (1676)
  • Ayres for the Violin to Wit... The Third and Fourth Parts / composed by Nicola Matteis (1685) / NOTE: It actually contains only the Third Part.
  • Other Ayres and Pieces For the Violin Bass Viol and Harpsichord somewaht more Difficult and Artificial then (sic) the former: Composed for the Practice and Service of greater Masters upon those Instruments By Nicola Matteis / The Fourth Part (1685)

  • Nicola Matteis Nicola Matteis Passaggio Rotto Andamento veloce HQ YouTube

    References

    Nicola Matteis Wikipedia


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