Pierre van Maldere

Pieter (Pierre) van Maldere (16 October 1729) was a violinist and composer from the Southern Low Countries (present-day Belgium).

Van Maldere was born in Brussels and 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). Van Maldere died in his home city of Brussels. After his decease, his 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).

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 Europe 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 United States). Van Maldere's compositions were printed by publishers in London, 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 trios 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:
  • Sei sinfonie a più stromenti (dedicated to the duke d'Antin, ca. 1760)
  • Sei sinfonie a più stromenti (Paris, 1762) (without basso continuo, influenced by the Mannheim school)
  • Sei sinfonie a più stromenti opus 4 (Paris and Lyon, 1764)
  • Sei sinfonie a più stromenti opus 5 (Paris, 1768)
• 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 Wikipedia) (libretto by Louis Anseaume and Pierre-Augustin Lefèvre de Marcouville)
  • 1766 : Le Soldat par amour (Brussels, 4 November, in collaboration with Ignaz Vitzthumb)

List of instrumental works

VR 1 - Trio Sonata in D major
VR 2 - Trio Sonata in G major
VR 3 - Trio Sonata in A major
VR 4 - Trio Sonata in C major
VR 5 - Trio Sonata in E flat major
VR 6 - Trio Sonata in D minor
VR 7 - Trio Sonata in G major
VR 8 - Trio Sonata in F major
VR 9 - Trio Sonata in B flat major
VR 10 - Trio Sonata in C major
VR 11 - Trio Sonata in G major
VR 12 - Trio Sonata in D major, Op. 1 No.1
VR 13 - Trio Sonata in A major, Op. 1 No.2
VR 14 - Trio Sonata in C minor
VR 15 - Trio Sonata in E flat major
VR 16 - Trio Sonata in E minor
VR 17 - Trio Sonata in B minor
VR 18 - Trio Sonata in F minor
VR 19 - Trio Sonata in F major
VR 20 - Trio Sonata in C major
VR 21 - Trio Sonata in F major
VR 22 - Trio Sonata in D minor
VR 23 - Trio Sonata in A major
VR 24 - Trio Sonata in B flat major, Op. 1 No.3
VR 25 - Trio Sonata in G minor, Op. 1 No.4
VR 26 - Trio Sonata in D major, Op. 1 No.5
VR 27 - Trio Sonata in C major, Op. 1 No.6
VR 28 - Symphony in G major
VR 29 - Symphony in F major
VR 30 - Symphony in D major
VR 31 - Symphony in C major
VR 32 - Symphony in E flat major
VR 33 - Symphony in F major
VR 34 - Symphony in B flat major
VR 35 - Symphony in A major
VR 36 - Symphony in F major
VR 37 - Symphony in C major
VR 38 - Symphony in D major
VR 39 - Symphony in C major* (lost)
VR 40 - Symphony in E major
VR 41 - Symphony in A major
VR 42 - Symphony in G minor
VR 43 - Symphony in D major
VR 44 - Symphony in B flat major
VR 45 - Symphony in A major
VR 46 - Violin Sonata in B flat major
VR 47 - Violin Sonata in C major
VR 48 - Violin Sonata in D major
VR 49 - Violin Sonata in A major
VR 50 - Violin Sonata in F major
VR 51 - Violin Sonata in A major
VR 52 - Violin Sonata in F major
VR 53 - Symphony in G minor, Op. 4 No.1
VR 54 - Symphony in C major, Op. 4 No.2
VR 55 - Symphony in B flat major, Op. 4 No.3
VR 56 - Symphony in G major, Op. 4 No.4
VR 57 - Symphony in E flat major, Op. 4 No.5
VR 58 - Symphony in D major, Op. 4 No.6
VR 59 - Symphony in E flat major
VR 60 - Symphony in G major
VR 61 - Symphony in C major
VR 62 - Symphony in D major
VR 63 - Symphony in F major
VR 64 - Symphony in C major
VR 65 - Symphony in E flat major
VR 66 - Symphony in D major
VR 67 - Violin Sonata in G major, Op. 5 No.1
VR 68 - Violin Sonata in C major, Op. 5 No.2
VR 69 - Violin Sonata in E major, Op. 5 No.3
VR 70 - Violin Sonata in D major, Op. 5 No.4
VR 71 - Violin Sonata in D major, Op. 5 No.5
VR 72 - Violin Sonata in G major, Op. 5 No.6
VR 73 - Symphony in D major, Op. 5 No.1
VR 74 - Symphony in F major, Op. 5 No.2
VR 75 - Symphony in E flat major, Op. 5 No.3
VR 76 - Symphony in B flat major, Op. 5 No.4
VR 77 - Symphony in G major, Op. 5 No.5
VR 78 - Symphony in D major, Op. 5 No.6
VR 79 - Symphony in D minor
VR 80 - Symphony in E flat major
VR 81 - Symphony in B flat major
VR 82 - Symphony in F major
VR 83 - Symphony in D major
VR 84 - Keyboard Trio No.1 in C major, Op. 7 No.1
VR 85 - Keyboard Trio No.2 in G major, Op. 7 No.2
VR 86 - Keyboard Trio No.3 in D major, Op. 7 No.3
VR 87 - Violin Sonata in B flat major
VR 88 - Violin Sonata in A major

Editions

• Van Maldere, Pierre, VI Sonatas for Two Violins with a Bass for the Harpsichord, 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.

• W. van Rompaey: Pieter van Maldere, 1729–1768: thematische catalogus van de instrumentale werken met voorbeelden in partiturvorm (Artselaar, 1990)

• 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].