Publication details
Schmelzerova serenata k oslavám narozenin aricivévodkyně Marie Antonie Habsburské
| Title in English | Johann Heinrich Schmelzer’s Serenata for the Celebrations of Maria Antonia Habsburg’s Birthday |
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| Year of publication | 2017 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | Several political and social incidents notably marked the latter part of 1670es within the Habsburg monarchy. The most tragic was perhaps epidemic of the worst plague of modern times. The epidemic affected Vienna in 1679 and spread quickly throughout other countries. However, for the Czech countries there was a brief period, which was relatively and culturally favourable. Owing to the epidemic, the whole imperial court moved to Prague, which for several months became the seat of the Emperor. Emperor’s and Empress Dowager’s musicians moved to Prague with the court as well. In Prague these bands performed several secular and ecclesiastical dramatico-musical works including the first comic opera in Czech lands – La Patienza di Socrate con due mogli by Antonio Draghi. On 18 January 1680 the serenata Die sieben Alter stimmen zusammen by Johann Heinrich Schmelzer and Johann Albrecht Ruedolph was performed for the occasion of Archduchess Maria Antonia’s birthday. Although it does not represent an extensive work and its storyline is not based on a complicated dramatical plot, the composition is remarkable for its unusual subject, and for the libretto in German. The goal of the lecture was to examine this composition and its performance, and also to update some findings from previous literature. |
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