Pieter van Maldere

Van Maldere was a composer who wrote in the genres of the comic opera, instrumental solos and trio sonatas for the violin and approximately forty different symphonies. He had studied the violin wih Fiocco and de Croes. He often played for the royal chapel at Brussels as he was a favorite of Prince Charles of Lorraine and van Maldere was appointed to the directorship of the Princes' concerts. Van Maldere was a well-traveled musician who had operas performed in Vienna and Paris. He became the director of the Grand Theatre in Brussels and composed two comic operas for his tenure there (one was written in collaboration). The symphonies which he composed were set in the standard Classical three movement structure. It has been argued that van Maldere himself was the pioneer for this form. His violin sonatas and trios demonstrate an Italian Baroque influence. ~ Keith Johnson