Silesian flautist
Johann Jean Sedlatzek (also Johann John Sedlaczek; 6 December 1789 – 11 April 1866) was a Silesian flautist born in Głogówek (Oberglogau), Kingdom of Prussia, into a family of tailors, often referred to as "The Niccolò Paganini of Flute".
After beginning his career in the family trade as an apprentice to parents Johanna and Josephy, Sedlatzek taught himself to play flute and eventually toured throughout Europe as an admired master of the instrument, playing on a unique thirteen-key Viennese flute.
Sedlatzek served in the Royal Court Orchestra of Count Franz von Oppersdorff of Oberglogau and as Royal Chamber Virtuoso to Prince Paul III Anton Esterházy of Austria. He also gave several successful concert tours through Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France, and England as featured performer.
During his tour of Italy, Sedlatzek not only survived the Palermo earthquake of 1823 (which canceled his second performance in Sicily), he also performed for the King of Prussia, Frederick William III of the Order of the Black Eagle, in Verona, for Pope Pius VII in Rome, and played alongside violin virtuoso Niccolò Paganini in Genoa. His Paris tour of 1826 included performances with the Italian Soprano Giuditta Pasta, with whom he would perform again, along with other prominent musicians, after his move to London.
Johann Sedlatzek was a friend and collaborator to Ludwig van Beethoven and played several times with the universally known composer; most notably as the principal flautist in the world-premier of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in Vienna's Kärntnertortheater in 1824 under the direction of Beethoven himself.
Early life and career.
While working as a tailor's apprentice to his father, Johann, and playing flute on the side, Johann Sedlatzek came to the attention of Count Franz von Oppersdorff, a nobleman of OberGlogau known for his intense love of music. Oppersdorff valued music so highly, in fact, that he would not hire any help who could not play a musical instrument.
The young tailor and budding flautist suited von Oppersdorff's requirements and soon was invited to study music formally with the musicians of the Royal Court of OberGlogau. By September 1806, the sixteen-year-old Sedlatzek had become a full member of the Royal Court Orchestra of Count Oppersdorff, affording Johann the opportunity to play for Ludwig van Beethoven during his visit to the Count's Castle that year with the orchestra's performance of Beethoven's own 2nd Symphony.
In March 1810, Sedlatzek left his family home to pursue his musical aspirations in Opava, the cultural heart of Silesia at the time, earning his living as Master Tailor while also working as a doorman at the local theater. He then traveled to Brno, Moravia and later to Vienna, Austria repeating this occupational strategy in each new city.
Johann Sedlatzek was finally able to put aside the family trade and focus on music exclusively when he was hired as first flute to the "Theater an der Wien" in September 1812.
A joint concert with the well-established Viennese musician Raphael Dressler in 1816 at Karntnertortheater, where Dressler was principal flautist, brought Johann to wider attention. The first printed review of a Sedlatzek performance appeared shortly after this event when the "Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung" gave the first of many positive reviews that would follow him throughout his long career in music.
Sedlatzek joined the Vienna Society of Musicians (Tonkünstler-Societät) in 1817. That same year, after Dressler moved to London, Sedlatzek was chosen to replace the eminent performer as principal flautist at the Karntnertortheater, a position he would hold for the next eight years while also performing concerts in Germany, conducting a lengthy tour of Italy, and playing around Vienna with his own ensemble, the "Sedlatzek Harmonie Quintet". German author of "Faust" and other notable works, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), mentions in his diaries hearing Johann Sedlaczek perform on more than one occasion in Austria during this period.
Sedlatzek's early years in Vienna culminated in the premier of Beethoven's 9th Symphony on 7 May 1824 at Karntnertortheater, where Sedlatzek served as principal flautist. Certain passages of Beethoven's score required the use of the particular Viennese flute which Sedlatzek was known to play with exceptional virtuosity. Only the Viennese flute was capable of playing as low as G, which was required for the proper interpretation of Beethoven's symphony.
Other notable musicians who performed in the Vienna premier of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in 1824 included soprano Henriette Sontag, contralto Caroline Unger, tenor Anton Haizinger, and pianist Conradin Kreutzer. Among the violinists performing that evening were Joseph Bohm, Leopold Jansa, and Joseph Mayseder. In the wind section, playing along with Sedlatzek, were Karl Scholl, Joseph Friedlowsky, Wenzell Sedlak, Thobold Hurth, and Edward Levy. Beethoven, too hard of hearing at this point in his life to conduct, directed the presentation while Ignaz Schuppanzigh led the orchestra and Michael Umlauf conducted the whole.
Tours of Austria, Germany, Swtitzerland, and Italy.
Between the years after his appointment as Principal Flautist at Karntentor Theater in 1817, and his performance with Beethoven in the premier of the 9th Symphony in 1824, Sedlatzek managed a busy schedule which included tours through Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy, while also performing (by private subscription) in Vienna with his Harmonie Quintet.
After his March 1818 performance with Carl Czerny in Vienna, Sedlatzek embarked on his first European tour as a featured performer. The first stop was in Zurich, where he performed with the pianist Johann Peter Pixiusem, prompting the "Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung" to write about the flautist "with great delight".
In the summer of 1820, Sedlatzek performed in Prague. The "Wiener Allgemeine Theaterzeitung" wrote of this performance: "Sedlatzek captivated the audience with his variations on 'God Save the King' and captured the hearts of all!"
Sedlatzek gave two shows in Berlin in July 1821. The first was to accompany Carl Maria von Weber. The second was as the featured player.
Back in Vienna, 1 August 1821, Sedlatzek performed with cellist Vincez Schuster and pianist Karl Maria von Bocklet. Sedlatzek and Schuster performed together portions of "Schone Minke, op. 78". And, as a bonus, at the end of the show, Johann Sedlatzek performed publicly, for the first time, on the newly invented Viennese Flute with which he would become synonymous during his later career.
In 1822, Sedlatzek embarked on a two-year tour of Italy, which began with his performances to the Congress of Verona (where he performed for the Prussian King, Frederick William III), and continued through Sicily, Parma, Milan, Naples, and Genoa, where he performed alongside Niccolò Paganini. The "Gizetta di Miliano" said Sedlatzek "captured his audience", and also noted that "even with Paganini performing in town, Sedlatzek's Halls were "bursting at the seams".
In a letter to his parents, Johann wrote of his Italian tour and his stay in Sicily:
"Once again, as in every city, I have been enthusiastically received. I have meals each day with General Field Marshal, Graf von Wallmoden, and in the evening, I go to parties. My first show was a good one, but the second was unfortunately prevented by the terrible earthquake ."
The Palermo earthquake of 5 March 1823 was the worst earthquake in the area of Sicily in the 19th century and one of the worst in Italy's history since such records have been kept.
Sedlatzek left Sicily after the earthquake and traveled to Rome, where he performed for The Pope of the Roman Catholic Church at that time, Pope Pius VII.
Sedlaczek and Ludlam's Cave.
Johann Sedlaczek is also listed as a member of the "Ludlamshohle" during the years between 1817 and 1826. "Ludlamshohle" (translated as "Ludlam's Cave" or "Ludlam's Hell") was a secret-society of intellectuals, a select group of actors, singers, musicians, and scholars of Vienna, including Johann's contemporaries Karl Maria von Weber, Karl Gottfried, Friedrich Ziegler and some sources say Franz Schubert.
The club was named after the Drama "Ludlam's Cave" by Danish poet Adam Oehlenschläger (14 November 1779 – 20 January 1850) and was also a reference to the dark, cave-like rooms in which the group typically met. "Ludlamshohle" was founded by the Austrian poet and dramatist, Ignaz Franz Castelli (6 March 1781 in – 5 February 1862), house poet of Kartnertortheater from 1811 to 1814.
While the society is consistently referred to as "secret", it was, in fact, well known to the public due to its large membership of prominent artists, even being written of in Vienna papers. Members claimed there was no devious or political intent to their meetings. Reports of attendees suggest the meetings were more akin to rowdy fraternity parties than dark rituals of sacred meaning or political intrigue. Nonetheless, the group's esoteric activities, strange symbolism, red and black color preference, and coded communications drew the suspicions of local authorities.
A police raid was conducted during a meeting of "Ludlamshohle" held on 19 April 1826, founded on a charge no more specific than "sedition" in which manuscripts, artwork and money were confiscated, while many members were arrested. This action was largely ridiculed by the public as no evidence of espionage was ever uncovered in the subsequent trials.
The group publicly dissolved after the raid, however, later writings indicate that certain members continued to meet secretly.
Sedlaczek himself was most likely never charged or under suspicion of any political subversion as this would have prevented his many travels. Austrians at that time were not allowed to travel outside of the country without special permission from the government. Travel for the sake of curiosity was not acceptable. "Need" had to be established. In the case of musicians, character and talent had to be proven. Johann traveled frequently, both during and after his involvement with "Ludlamshohle" indicating he was consistently in good standing with the Viennese authorities.
Farewell to Vienna and a tour of Paris.
On 3 April 1825, Sedlatzek gave a farewell concert in Vienna at which he performed works from Beethoven and Rossini as well as his own compositions "Capriccio for Flute" and "Neue Variations for Flute", with the well-known Ignaz Schuppanzigh conducting.
While Sedlatzek's farewell concert was held in April 1825, an entry in the Journal of the conductor Sir George Thomas Smart dated 11 September 1825 in which he describes a visit to Beethoven's home, shows that Sedlatzek remained in Vienna through the end of that year:
"... most of the company departed (after the performance), but Schlesinger invited me to stop and dine with the following party of ten. Beethoven, his nephew (Karl), Holz, Weiss, C. Czerny, who sat at the bottom of the table, Lincke, Jean Sedlatzek- a flute player who is coming to England next year and has letters from the Duke of Devonshire, Count St. Antonio, etc.- he has been to Italy- Schlesinger, Schuppanzigh, who sat at the top, and myself."
Afterwards, Sedlatzek visited his parents in OberGlogau and his sister, Josephina Maise, in Warmbrunn before embarking on a concert tour of Paris in 1826, with the following personal letters of recommendation from Ludwig van Beethoven in hand:
To Monsieur Kreutzer,
Sir! This is with hope that you favor your old friend, I dare to recommend to you the bearer of this letter, Monsieur Sedlatzek, a most distinguished Artist, and am begging you not to refuse him ... I take this time to testify my friendship and perpetual consideration. Sir!
Your very humble servant, L v. B
To Monsieur Cherubini,
Sir! The bearer of this letter, Monsieur Sedlatzek, ardently desires to pay you his tribute. I am convinced of his esteem as an Artist worthy of my name, and hope for a favorable welcome from you. Accept him with the highest assurance and the same consideration with which I have been honored. Sir!
Your very humble servant, L v. B
After the Paris tour, Sedlatzek moved to London.
London and family.
Thirty-six-year-old Johann Sedlatzek arrived in London in the summer of 1826. By the spring of 1827, his British audience had grown beyond his expectation, as the following announcement in the May 12, 1827, edition of the "London Literary Gazette" attests:
"Under the patronage of His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, their Highnesses the Prince and Princess Esterhazy, and the Duke and Duchess of Leister, Mr. SEDLATZEK, (of Vienna, Performer of the newly invented German flute), finding that the Number of Tickets in demand for his concert on the 18th of May far exceeds his expectation, respectfully announces that he has been obliged to remove it from Queen Square, to Willis's Rooms, and that tickets can be had at the Bar of the Thatched Roof Tavern; Willis's Rooms, and of Mr. Sedlatzek, No. 37, Castle Street East, Oxford Street."
A survey of English Newspapers from 1826