Pieter (Pierre) van Maldere (Brussels, 16 October 1729 - Brussels, 1 November 1768) was a violinist and composer from the Southern Low Countries (present-day Belgium).
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Life
Van Maldere was educated as a violinist and composer, probably by the directors of the Brussels court chapel, Jean-Joseph Fiocco and Henri-Jacques de Croes. From 1749 he was a violinist at the court of governor of the Low Countries, Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine. From 1751 to 1753, Van Maldere was director of the Philarmonick Concerts in Dublin, where William Manwaring published, in December 1752, the Six Trios for 2 Fiddles and thorough Bass composed by Sieur Van Maldere. Van Maldere played in the Paris Concert Spirituel in August 1754. He accompanied the prince on his many travels, to France (Paris), Bohemia (Prague) and Austria (Vienna), where his two first comic operas were performed in Schönbrunn: Le Déguisement pastoral (1756) en Les Amours champêtres (1758). Van Maldere also played for the empress Maria Theresia in Vienna. His works were known to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Joseph Haydn. Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf notes him as one of the most important virtuosos of his time. Back in Brussels, Van Maldere composed a number of operas and over 40 symphonies, ouvertures and sonatas. In 1758, he was promoted valet de chambre to the prince. From 1763 to 1767, he was co-director of the Grand Théâtre (Muntschouwburg, Théâtre de la Monnaie), a period which ended in a financial fiasco. Ignaz Vitzthumb (1724-1816) was the conductor of the Muntschouwburg in those years. Among Van Maldere's students at the court chapel are the violinist Joseph Gehot (1756-na 1795) and the clarinettist Amand Vanderhagen (1753-1822). After his decease, Van Maldere's brother succeeded him as first violinist of the court chapel. Van Maldere's music was published in London, Paris and Brussels (as is clear from the thematic catalogue), and performed at many European courts. As his Flemish name did not sound familiar to music scribes, many variants are found in the sources, including Vanmaltre, Van Maltere, Vanmonder, van Maldern, Wan Maldere, Wanmalder, Vam Maldere, Maldera, even Vand'Elmar (B-Bc 73150).
Works
While Van Maldere's chamber music shows late-baroque characteristics and Corelli's influence, his violinsonatas and symphonies testify to the formation of the early classical 'Viennese' symphony. Most of the symphonies are in three parts, and contain elements as thematic contrast or modulating development. The second movement sometimes is a binary Lied form, the final occasionally a rondo form. A number of works have the 'classical' four movements (RomM 51 in C, and 120 in F; the Sonata a 3, RomM 20 in D). Van Maldere's works circulated throughout Europa in manuscript parts as well as in print. According to RISM (Répertoire International de Sources Musicales), manuscripts of his works are found in 21 libraries in 10 different countries (Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, and the USA). Van Maldere's compositions were printed by publishers in Londeon, Paris, Dublin and Brussels; even after his decease reprints were issued, such as the Six favourite overtures in 8 parts, opus 4 (Londen, ca.1770). Only one source of Van Maldere's vocal compositions has survived: his opéra-comique "Le déguisement pastoral" (1756) is still kept in the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek in Vienna. A popular vocal composition to music by Van Maldere was 'Ach wiederholt mir Jesu Leiden', an arrangement of the Grave from his Symphony op.4 nr. 5, for two sopranos, strings and bass (one source has two flutes added). A number of his works were attributed to other composers, such as Joseph Haydn (RomM 80 in B♭), and Josef Mysliviček, whose symphony in C turned out to be Van Maldere's op.4 nr. 2.
Principal compositions
- Many violin- and triosonatas; among these 3 trio’s for harpsichord, violin and cello op. 7, published posthumously by Van Ypen & Pris in Brussels, between 1774 and 1778.
- Overtures
- Some 45 symphonies, among which:
- Operas
- 1756 : Le Déguisement pastoral (Vienna, Schönbrunn, 12 July) (Later performance: Brussels, 12 December 1759)
- 1758 : Les Amours champêtres (Vienna, Schönbrunn, 5 November)
- 1763 : La Bagarre (Paris, Théâtre italien, 10 February, 7 July, in collaboration with François-André-Danican Philidor?)
- 1766 : Le Médecin de l'amour (Brussels, date unknown; for an illustration, see the French Wikipédia) (libretto by Louis Anseaume and Pierre-Augustin Lefèvre de Marcouville)
- 1766 : Le Soldat par amour (Brussels, 4 November, in collaboration with Ignaz Vitzthumb)
Editions
- Van Maldere, Pierre, VI Sonatas for Two Violins with a Bass for the Harpsicord, for Violoncello, (Facsimile Series for Musicians and Scholars, 30), Peer: Musica-Alamire, 1989.
- Craig LISTER, ed., Pierre van Maldere: Six Symphonies a più strumenti, opus 4, (Recent Researches in the Music of the Classical Era, 35–36), Madison, WI: A-R Editions, 1990.
Bibliography
- Charles BURNEY, The Present State of Music in Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Provinces, London, 1773; London: Beckett, 1775²; reprint 1775² (Monuments of music and music literature in facsimile, 117), New York: Broude, 1969.
- François-Joseph FÉTIS, 'Van Maldere (Pierre)', Biographie universelle des musiciens et bibliographie générale de la musique, 2nd ed., vol.8, Paris: Firmin-Didot, 1884, 306-307.
- Suzanne CLERCX, Pierre van Maldere, virtuose et maître des concerts de Charles de Lorraine (1729-1768), Brussels: Palais des Académies, 1948.
- Albert VAN DER LINDEN, ‘Notes inédites sur Pierre Van Maldere et ses frères’, Belgisch Tijdschrift voor Muziekwetenschap / Revue belge de musicologie, 3, 1949, 46-49.
- Sem Porter KEGLEY, A preliminary study of the symphonies of Pierre van Maldere, Thesis M.M., Wichita State University, Kansas, 1976.
- Willy VAN ROMPAEY: Pieter van Maldere, 1729-1768. Thematische catalogus van de instrumentale werken met voorbeelden in partituurvorm [Thematic catalogue of the instrumental works], Aartselaar, 1990.
- Filip BRAL, 'Brussels muzikale zoon' [A musical son of Brussels], Muziek en Woord, 27, 2001, 17.
- Koen BUYENS, ‘Henri-Jacques De Croes and the Court Chapel of Charles of Lorraine. A socio-historical perspective’, Belgisch Tijdschrift voor Muziekwetenschap / Revue belge de musicologie, 55, 2001, 165-178.
- Koen BUYENS, Musici aan het hof. De Brusselse hofkapel onder Henri-Jacques De Croes (1749-1786): een sociaal-historische studie [Musicians At Court. The Brussels Court Chapel led by Henri-Jacques De Croes (1749-1786): A Social-Historical Study], Brussels: VUBPress, 2001.
Discography
- Pieter Van Maldere. Symphoniae, Collegium instrumentale Brugense o.l.v. Patrick Peire, Eufoda 1206.
- Pieter van Maldere – Sinfonie, The Academy of Ancient Music o.l.v. Filip Bral, MMP 012 [Klara-CD].
