Johann Simon Mayr

Johann(es) Simon Mayr (also spelled Majer, Mayer, Maier), also known in Italian as Giovanni Simone Mayr or Simone Mayr (14 June 1763 – 2 December 1845), was a German composer. His music reflects the transition from the Classical to the Romantic musical era. In 1805 he founded the Bergamo Conservatory. He was an early inspiration to Rossini and Meyerbeer and taught and advocated for Donizetti.

Life He was born in Mendorf near Altmannstein, Landkreis Eichstätt, Bavaria, and studied theology at the University of Ingolstadt, continuing his studies in Italy from 1787. He was closely associated with the Illuminati of Adam Weishaupt while a student in Ingolstadt, and the ideals of the French Enlightenment were a strong influence on his philosophy as a musician as corroborated by his famed Zibaldone or "Notebooks" compiled toward the end of his career.

Shortly thereafter, he took music lessons with Carlo Lenzi, and later with Ferdinando Bertoni. He moved to Bergamo in 1802 and was appointed maestro di cappella at the Cathedral of Bergamo, succeeding his old teacher Lenzi. He held the post until his death, and became a central figure in the city's musical life, organizing concerts and introducing Ludwig van Beethoven's music there. In 1805 he founded the Bergamo Conservatory; then known as the Lezioni Caritatevoli di Musica. One of his pupils at the conservatory was Gaetano Donizetti. By the end of his life, he was blind. He died in Bergamo and is buried in the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore there, just in front of the tomb of his famous pupil.

Mayr's works, among which there are almost seventy operas, are rarely performed today.

Works See List of compositions by Simon Mayr and List of operas by Simon Mayr

Recordings Ginevra di Scozia - Elizabeth Vidal (soprano); Daniela Barcellona (mezzo-soprano); Antonino Siragusa (tenor); Luca Grassi (baritone); Giuseppina Piunti (soprano); Marco Lazzara (countertenor); Orchestra del Teatro Verdi di Trieste; Tiziano Severini (conductor). Label: Opera Rara ORC23 Fedra (Chiaudani, Nelsen, Zagorski, Lee; Schaller) OEHMS Classics 920 Verter (Herrmann, Gemmabella, Cicchetti, Salsi, Zarelli; Terracini). Bongiovanni GB 2343–4. Medea in Corinto (Eaglen, Kenny, Ford, Miles; Parry), Opera Rara ORC11 Konzert mit Schnitte von Werken von Johann Simon Mayr. Wilhelm Schmailzl, Karlskron Samuele Fono-Schallplattengesellschaft, Laer Grande messa da requiem Orchestra Stabile di Bergamo, Agora Stabat Mater No.3 in C-minor Incontri Europei con la Musica, Bongiovanni Che Originali! ossia La Musicomania Georgisches Kammerorchester, Guild Mass in C-minor Guild La Passione Kammerorchester Ingolstadt, Guild Atalia Neue Düsseldorfer Hofmusik Guild Vespri per il Corpus Domini 1802 Orchestra da Camera Milano Classica, Bongiovanni Sisara Accademia I Filarmonici di Verona, Simon Mayr Chor conducted by Franz Hauk Guild GmbH 2004 L'Armonia and Cantata for the Death of Beethoven. Ingolstadt Georgian Chamber Orchestra and Simon Mayr Choir, Naxos La Rosa Bianca e la Rosa Rossa (Antonacci, Anselmi, Serraicocca, Canonici, Facini; Briccetti) Fonit Cetra RFCD 2007 David in Spelunca Engaddi, Naxos L'amor coniugale, Naxos, Tobiae matrimonium Simon Mayr Chor + Ensemble, Naxos Medea in Corinto Theater St. Gallen, Oehmsclassic La Lodoiska Münchner Rundfunkorchester, Oehmsclassic Amor ingegnoso, Bongiovanni GB 2456-2 Samuele, Naxos Demetrio, Re di Siria, Oehmsclassic Innalzamento al trono del giovane re Gioas. Cantata, Naxos Il sagrifizio di Jefte, Oratorio, Naxos Piano Concerto in C-major Ginevra di Scozia, Oehmsclassic Gran messa di requiem in G-minor, Naxos Le Due Duchesse, Naxos Messa di Gloria in E-minor, Naxos Messa di Gloria in F-minor, Naxos L'accademia di musica, Naxos Giovanni, Naxos