Mattheson, Johann (1681–1764)

German writer on music, organist, and composer. Among his many writings on music the most important are Der vollkommene Capellmeister (1739), Grundlage einer Ehrenpforte (1740), and a treatise on thorough-bass.

From the age of nine he sang at the Hamburg Opera, and there produced his first opera in 1699. He became friendly with Handel in 1703 and went with him to Lübeck as a candidate to succeed Buxtehude; but both declined on learning that marriage to Buxtehude's daughter was a condition of the post. After some years as a tutor, then as secretary to the English Legation, he was appointed minor canon and music director at Hamburg Cathedral in 1715, but had to resign in 1728 because of his deafness.

Works Opera Die Pleiades (1699); Die unglückselige Cleopatra (1704), Henrico IV, Boris Goudenow (1710), and Nero (1723).

Other 24 oratorios and cantatas; trio sonatas; keyboard music.