- Simon Mayr
Johann(es) Simon Mayr (also spelled Majer, Mayer, Maier), also known in Italian as Giovanni Simone Mayr or Simone Mayr (
June 14 ,1763 inMendorf nearAltmannstein , Landkreis Eichstätt -December 2 ,1845 inBergamo ) was a Germancomposer .Life
He was born in
Bavaria and studiedtheology at theUniversity of Ingolstadt , continuing his studies in Italy from 1787. He was closely associated with the Bavarian Illuminati ofAdam Weishaupt while a student in Ingolstadt, and the ideals of the French Enlightenment were a strong influence on his philosophy as a musician as corroborated by his famed "Zibaldone" or "Notebooks" compiled toward the end of his career.Shortly thereafter, he took music lessons with
Carlo Lenzi , and later withFerdinando Bertoni . He moved toBergamo in 1802 and was appointed "maestro di cappella " at theCathedral of Bergamo , succeeding his old teacher Lenzi. He held the post until his death, and became a central figure in the city's musical life, organizing concerts and introducingLudwig van Beethoven 's music there. He was music teacher toGaetano Donizetti . By the end of his life, he was blind. He is buried in the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, Bergamo, just in front of the tomb of his famous pupil.Mayr's astonishing list of works, among which are almost seventy
opera s, are rarely performed today.Works
See
List of operas by Mayr Bibliography
* Heinrich Bauer: "Simon Mayr" 1763-1845, Meister der italienischen Oper aus der bayerischen Oberpfalz". (Munich : Bayer. Vereinsbank), 1983
* Franz Hauk: "Johann Simon Mayr und Venedig". (Munich : Katzbichler), 1999. - ISBN 3-87397-1534Film
* Martin Pfeil: "Der vergessene Musiker: Johann Simon Mayer (1763-1845)". INTV Media Ingolstadt, 1995 (VHS, 30 Min.)
External links
* [http://www.simon-mayr.de/ Simon-Mayr-Gesellschaft]
*
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