Johann Valentin Rathgeber

Rathgeber studied theology at the University of Wurzburg in 1701 and became a schoolmaster and organist for the Juliusspital in 1704. By 1707 he was at the Benedictine abbey in Banz as the choirmaster where he remained for the rest of his life with one break in service to travel to southern Germany to learn about the singing of the Compline psalms. His most important contribution to music was the "Ohrenvergnungendes und Gemuth-ergotzendes Tafel-Confect" a collection of popular songs. This compilation included solos, duets, and choruses many with instrumental accompaniment and some with figured bass. The melodies were as predictable as popular idioms suggest. During his lifetime Rathgeber was most noted for his church music. These compositions included vespers, psalms, and liturgical pieces. Most were scored for SATB with strings and continuo but he was aware of the needs of the more rural and less densely populated areas. Accordingly, Rathgeber scored the church music in such a manner that two voices and the strings could be left out and only two voices and organ were required. Other characteristics of these pieces included well-structured melodies, clearly stated texts without a great deal of repetitive words, and long pieces unified through repetition of shorter motifs. His instrumental music was typical of the Baroque era. ~ Keith Johnson