Johann Abraham Sixt

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Johann Abraham Sixt (born January 3, 1757 in Graefenhausen , † January 30, 1797 in Donaueschingen ) was a German classical composer .

Life

Johann Abraham Sixt (incorrectly called Johann August Sixt or even just August Sixt) was the only child of the Graefenhausen schoolmaster Johann Michael Sixt (born January 28, 1728, † November 25, 1794) and his wife Margaretha, nee. Zachmann (born November 14, 1710, † December 12, 1785). Margaretha Sixt was 46 years old when he was born, and she already had 13 children from her first marriage. The father was 28 years old.

There is no generally accepted information about Sixt's training. According to New Grove , he was first taught by his father, a teacher and organist, and then completed his training at the Hohen Karlsschule in Stuttgart , presumably with the court harpsichordist Seemann and with the court conductor Agostino Poli . In this work even used teaching books and teachers are listed. According to this source, he took up his first position as an organist in Heilbronn or Geislingen an der Steige , followed by Montbéliard (Mömpelgard) (around 1780) and Stuttgart. Other biographers exclude this period because, in their opinion, it cannot be proven.

In 1784 Sixt took up a position as a chamber musician in the service of Prince Joseph Maria Benedict zu Fürstenberg in Donaueschingen . His duties included the work as “piano master” of the court orchestra, teaching Princess Maria Antonia to play the piano and composing works for the court orchestra. Some of his songs are dedicated to the princess, who recognized his extraordinary talent and encouraged him. The activity was well paid. New Grove mentions that Sixt's productivity suffered from a disagreement with music director Wenzel Nördlinger .

On August 7, 1787 Sixt married Wilhelmine Seibold (* October 10, 1764 in Stuttgart, † September 14, 1826 in Stuttgart). The marriage remained childless.

Sixt was ill by 1787 at the latest; the nature of the disease can no longer be determined. However, he wrote his first will as early as 1790. He died on the evening of January 30, 1797 after having a second will drawn up on the morning of that day. The widow was well looked after by the legacy. On January 8, 1799, she married the bassoonist Christoph Albrecht Hauber, who worked at the Stuttgart court, and this second marriage resulted in four children.

Johann Abraham Sixt's life span corresponds exactly to that of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791). It is very likely that both composers knew each other. There are suspicions that Mozart helped Sixt to get the job in Donaueschingen.

Works (selection)

Many of Sixt's works are likely lost. The chamber music is written in Mozart's style, but also shows its own musical ideas. Musicology often confused the works of Sixt with those of his relative Johann Christoph Sixt

  • 12 songs to sing Beym Clavier (Basel, 1791)
  • Three trios for violin, violoncello and piano op.8
  • Sonata per il Pianoforte
  • 4 harpsichord concerts
  • Six Allemandes for 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 horns and 2 bassoons
  • 12 variations for harpsichord

literature

  • Helmut Vester: Johann Abraham Sixt: Fürstlich Fürstenbergischer Kammermusikus; Family, life and work. Birkenfeld community, Birkenfeld 1997.
  • Emil Mayer: Who was Johann Abraham Sixt? , in: ders .: Dorfbuch Gräfenhausen Obernhausen , Neuenbürg o. J. (approx. 1984), pp. 137–140.
  • Friedrich Blume (Ed.): Music in the past and present. General encyclopedia of music. Volume 12. Bärenreiter, 1965, p. 742. 2nd edition: Volume 15. Bärenreiter, 2006, p. 866.
  • ... lover and protector of music. Music collection of the Princes zu Fürstenberg in the Baden State Library. Exhibition in the Badische Landesbibliothek from September 20 to November 25, 2000. Catalog editors: Matthias Miller and Martina Rebmann. Berlin 2000, pp. 211, 213.
  • Stanley Sadie (Ed.): The new Grove dictionary of music and musicians . Volume 23. 2nd edition. 2001, p. 461.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Sixt, Johann Abraham
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Sixt, Johann August
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German classical composer
DATE OF BIRTH January 3, 1757
PLACE OF BIRTH Graefenhausen
DATE OF DEATH January 30, 1797
Place of death Donaueschingen