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.
Also recorded as Giovanni Simone Mayr
Johann Simon Mayr
Heinrich Eduard Winter · This file comes from Gallica Digital Library and is available under the digital ID btv1b8422462q · Public domain
- Name
- Johann Simon Mayr
- Born
- June 14, 1763
- Birthplace
- Mendorf, Bavaria, Germany
- Died
- 2 December 1845
- Place of death
- Bergamo, Italy
- Occupation
- Composer
- Nationality
- Kingdom of Bavaria.
- Fields
- opera, classical, liturgical and oratorio.
- Education
- University of Ingolstadt.
- Known for
- Ginevra di Scozia, La Lodoiska, Medea in Corinto, Fedra and Demetrio.
- Languages
- Italian.
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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.
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Authority files
wikidata · Q373770
In this article
Biography
Biography
He was an early inspiration to Rossini and Meyerbeer and taught and advocated for Donizetti.
Johann Simon Mayr studied at University of Ingolstadt. Gaetano Donizetti is recorded as having studied under Johann Simon Mayr. The recorded working language is Italian. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are opera, classical, liturgical and oratorio. Positions recorded include chapelmaster. Works named in the authority record are Ginevra di Scozia, La Lodoiska, Medea in Corinto, Fedra and Demetrio. Work by Johann Simon Mayr is recorded in the collections of Procuratoria di San Marco musical archive.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Johann Simon Mayr • Born — June 14, 1763 • Birthplace — Mendorf, Bavaria, Germany • Died — 2 December 1845 • Place of death — Bergamo, Italy • Occupation — Composer
Life
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
Works
See List of compositions by Simon Mayr and List of operas by Simon Mayr
Work and production
Work and production
Works recorded as notable number 5: Ginevra di Scozia, La Lodoiska, Medea in Corinto, Fedra and Demetrio. His recorded genres are opera, classical, liturgical and oratorio.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1845
Johann Simon Mayr died at Bergamo.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Mendorf.
Birth place
Bergamo.
Death place
Film
• Martin Pfeil: Der vergessene Musiker: Johann Simon Mayer (1763–1845). INTV Media Ingolstadt, 1995 (VHS, 30 Min.)
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 [1993] • Konzert mit Schnitte von Werken von Johann Simon Mayr. Wilhelm Schmailzl, Karlskron [1996] • Samuele Fono-Schallplattengesellschaft, Laer [1997] • Grande messa da requiem Orchestra Stabile di Bergamo, Agora [1997] • Stabat Mater No.3 in C-minor Incontri Europei con la Musica, Bongiovanni [1999] • Che Originali! ossia La Musicomania Georgisches Kammerorchester, Guild [1999] • Mass in C-minor Guild [2001] • La Passione Kammerorchester Ingolstadt, Guild [2002] • Atalia Neue Düsseldorfer Hofmusik Guild [2003] • Vespri per il Corpus Domini 1802 Orchestra da Camera Milano Classica, Bongiovanni [2004] • 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 [2006] • La Rosa Bianca e la Rosa Rossa (Antonacci, Anselmi, Serraicocca, Canonici, Facini; Briccetti) Fonit Cetra RFCD 2007 • David in Spelunca Engaddi, Naxos [2008] • L'amor coniugale, Naxos, [2008] • Tobiae matrimonium Simon Mayr Chor + Ensemble, Naxos [2009] • Medea in Corinto Theater St. Gallen, Oehmsclassic [2010] • La Lodoiska Münchner Rundfunkorchester, Oehmsclassic [2011] • Amor ingegnoso, Bongiovanni GB 2456-2 [2012] • Samuele, Naxos [2012] • Demetrio, Re di Siria, Oehmsclassic [2012] • Innalzamento al trono del giovane re Gioas. Cantata, Naxos [2012] • Il sagrifizio di Jefte, Oratorio, Naxos [2013] • Piano Concerto in C-major • Ginevra di Scozia, Oehmsclassic [2014] • Gran messa di requiem in G-minor, Naxos [2015] • Le Due Duchesse, Naxos [2020] • Messa di Gloria in E-minor, Naxos [2021] • Messa di Gloria in F-minor, Naxos [2021] • L'accademia di musica, Naxos [2022] • Giovanni, Naxos [2026]
Literature
Literature
Johann Simon Mayr und Mozart, Mozart Studien Band 8, 1998
References
Citations
References
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Johann Simon Mayr studied at University of Ingolstadt. Each of those relationships is stated by the authority record rather than inferred from style.
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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