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Scan 120
Grove's dictionary of music and musicians;, 1907
10 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 97. See the scan on archive.org.
1MATTEI
3Theatre, Jan. 25, 1803. In English at Covent Garden, Nov. 1, 1842, and with new translation by W. Grist, at the Crystal Palace, Dec. 13, 1877.
5MATTEI, FILIPPO (commonly known as 'Pipo'), a violoncellist in London, and performer at the operas given by the Royal Academy of Musick in the theatres in the Haymarket in the early 18th century. His claim to remembrance is based exclusively on Handel's MS. conducting score of the opera 'Muzio Scevola' (in the possession of Dr. W. H. Cummings) in which 'Pipo' is mentioned as the composer of the first act, usually, and with more probability, assigned to Attilio Ariosti, the second and third being by Buononcini and Handel respectively. See Chrysander's G. F. Händel, vol. ii. p. 56, where the opera, 'Arsace, overo Amore e Maestà,' is attributed to him.
7MATTEI, STANISLAO, ABBATE, pupil of Martini, and master of Rossini, born at Bologna, Feb. 10, 1750. Though of humble parentage (his father was a locksmith) he was sent to the Latin school. Having been present accidentally at a service in the Minorite Convent, he was so enchanted with the music that he became a constant attendant, and thus attracted the notice of Padre Martini, by whose advice he entered upon his noviciate. Master and pupil became tenderly attached, and as soon as Mattei had been ordained he became the Padre's confessor, and remained with him till his death. He acted as Martini's deputy from 1770, and succeeded him as maestro di cappella. From 1776 his compositions were produced in the service. On the suppression of the monasteries in 1798, he went to live with his aged mother, and began an active career as a teacher. From this time he was known as the Abbate Mattei. Later he became maestro di cappella of San Petronio, and professor of counterpoint at the Liceo from its foundation in 1804. Among his pupils were Rossini, Morlacchi, Donizetti, Perotti, Robuschi, Palmerini, Bertolotti, Tadolini, Tesei, and Pilotti, who succeeded him at San Petronio. He lived in complete retirement, accessible only to his pupils, and died May 12, 1825. He was president of the 'Filarmonici' in 1790 and 1794, and was a member of the Subalpine Académie, and of the 'Institut de France' (Jan. 24, 1824). He had a thorough practical acquaintance with the old traditions, as may be seen by his Pratica d' accompagnamento sopra bassi numerati, three vols. (Bologna, 1788, 1829, 1830), which consists mainly of well-chosen examples, with a few rules. In his explanations to his pupils he does not seem to have been very clear; at least Rossini complained to Fétis in 1841 that he had one stereotyped answer when asked to explain a rule in harmony or counterpoint, 'It is always written thus.' Of his music three masses only are generally known. The libraries of San Giorgio and the Minorite convent in Bologna contain most of his compositions, including eight masses, much church music, and the scores of an intermezzo 'La Bottega del Libraio' and of a 'Passion' performed in 1792. Full particulars of his life are given in the Vita di Stanislao Mattei by Filippo Canuti (Bologna, 1829, with portrait).
9MATTEIS, NICOLA, an eminent Italian violinist, came to England about 1672. Nothing whatever is known of his antecedents. The earliest notice of him is found in Evelyn's Diary under date of Nov. 19, 1674: 'I heard that stupendous violin, Signor Nicholao (with other rare musicians), whom I never heard mortal man exceed on that instrument. He had a stroke so sweet, and made it speak like the voice of a man, and, when he pleased, like a concert of several instruments. He did wonders upon a note, and was an excellent composer. Here was also that rare lutanist, Dr. Wallgrave, but nothing approached the violin in Nicholao's hand. He played such ravishing things as astonished us all.' Roger North also (Memoirs of Musick) speaks very highly of his abilities. [See note on p. 122 of Rimbault's edition.] When he first came to England he exhibited many singularities of conduct which he afterwards abandoned. He published here, without date (about 1688) 'Arie, Preludij, Alemande, Sarabande, etc., per il Violino. Libro Primo. Altre Arie, etc., più difficile e studiose per il Violino. Libro Secondo'; also 'Ayres for the Violin, to wit, Preludes, Fuges, Alemands, Sarabands, Cou-rants, Gigues, Fancies, Divisions, and likewise other Passages, Introductions, and Fugues for Single and Double stopes with divisions somewhat more artificial for the Emproving of the Hand upon the Basse-Viol or Harpsichord. The Third and Fourth Books.' [This has the date 1685 concealed in the ornamentations of the title-page; other books of the series are dated 1687. The books are in oblong octavo, engraved on copper-plates by T. Greenhill. A set was sold at the Taphouse sale in 1905.] He was likewise author of 'The False Consonances of Musick, or, Instructions for playing a true Base upon the Guittarre, with Choice Examples and clear Directions to enable any man in a short time to play all Musicall Ayres. A great help likewise to those that would play exactly upon the Harpsichord, Lute, or Base-Viol, shewing the delicacy of all Accords, and how to apply them in their proper places. In four parts,'—which even in North's time had become scarce, and is now excessively rare. In 1696 Matteis composed an Ode on St. Cecilia's Day for the then annual celebration in London, and was also one of the stewards of a Cecilian celebration at Oxford. [Another and lesser known work by the same composer is 'A Collection of New Songs set by Mons. Nicola Matteis, made purposely for the use of his Scholars: Fairly engraven on Copper
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