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Johann Christoph Altnikol (Composer, Organ, Copyist, Bach’s Pupil) |
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Born: December 1719 - Berna, near Seidenberg, Silesia. Germany (now Zawidów, Poland) (baptised: January 1, 1720 - Küpper, Upper Lusatia))
Died: July 25, 1759 - Naumburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany |
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Johann Christoph Altnikol [Altnickol] was a German organist and composer, and played also violin and cello. He was born the son of : Gottfried Altnickol (weaver in Berna). From 1733 he attended the Lyceum in Lauban; from 1740 to 1743 he was singer and organist at the Marien-Magdalenen-Kirche in Breslau. He matriculated at the University of Leipzig on March 19, 1744, studying theology, and became a private pupil of J.S. Bach in composition and keyboard instruments during the same year. He was also J.S. Bach’s copyist in the years 1744-1747. He is known mostly because of his marriage to Elisabeth Bach, J.S. Bach's daughter.
On January 18, 1748 J.C. Altnikol was appointed organist in Niederwiesa (near Greifenberg) in Silesia. He often relied on his connection with the Bach family to obtain appointments. On July 24, 1748 J.S. Bach wrote a letter to the City Council, and on July 31, 1748 to the Burgomaster of Naumburg requesting the appointment of his son-in-law Johann Christoph Altnikol to the position of organist at Wenzelskirche (Saint Wenzel's Church), which had become vacant. J.S. Bach described in these two letters as his "ehemaligen Ecolier" (former schoolboy). In contrast, two of J.S. Bach's certificates for Altnickol (1747/1748) only mentioned his musical abilities. In September of that year J.C. Altnikol received the appointment, and retained the post until his death. On January 20, 1749 J.C. Altnikol married Elizabeth Juliane Friedericia Bach (1726-1781), the daughter of his teacher, J.S. Bach.
Not many of J.C. Alnikol's works survive; in general, his compositions have not attracted much attention. J.S. Bach praised his music, but the great composer may have not been objective in his assessment of J.C. Altnikol. |
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J.S. Bach Connection - More |
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During his period in Leipzig (1744-1748) J.C. Altnikol assisted J.S. Bach as bass singer, string player, and copyist. He collaborated with the composer in the compilation of the 'Eighteen' Chorales (BWV 651-668), and in 1744 produced a fair copy of the newly completed and revised Well-tempered Clavier Part 2 (BWV 870-893). Other important J.S. Bach copies of J.C. Altnikol's include the Violin Sonatas BWV 1014-1019, the French Suites (BWV 812-817), and the St Matthew Passion (BWV 244).
References: Koska: A-52; GND: GND: 128686138; Bach Digital: 00000018 |
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Works |
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Nun danket alle Gott BWV Anh. 164; BNB II/A/5 |
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Works of Bach he copied [Manuscript No. in Bach Digital / Work / Performance date] |
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A-Wn Mus. Hs. 15535: BWV 125 [c1750]
D-Bhm 6138/2: BWV 204 [1740's]
D-B Mus.ms. 17155/16: BWV 1083 / 243a-> [c1746/1747]
D-B Mus.ms. 30194, Faszikel 2: J.C. Altnickol: Sonata C major for harpsichord [Original source]
D-B Mus.ms. autogr. Altnickol, J. C. 1: J.C. Altnickol: 2 Sanctus (in B, in F) [1748]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 15: BWV 236, 235, 233 [c1747/1748]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 16: BWV 234 [c1747/1748]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 177: BWV 80 [between 1744/1747]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 179, Faszikel 1: BWV 96 [1.10.1747]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 179, Faszikel 2: BWV 96/5+6 [1.10.1747]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 218, Faszikel 2: BWV 964, 968 [c1750]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 229: BWV 1014, 1015, 1016, 1017, 1018, 1019 (version 3), BWV 1030.2, Anh. 186; Wq 154; H 576
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 271, Faszikel 2: BWV 651, 652, 653, 654, 655, 656, 657, 658, 659, 660, 661, 662, 663, 664, 665, 666, 667, 769a (Var. 5 nach Var. 2), 668 (Fragment) [c1746/1747]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 322, Faszikel 8: BR-WFB F 12; Fk 72 [May 12, 1746]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 402, Faszikel 1: BWV 846, 847, 848, 849, 850, 851, 852, 853, 854, 855, 856, 857, 858, 859, 860, 861, 862, 863, 864, 865, 866, 867, 868, 869 ["Scripsit: Altnicol. 1755"]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 402, Faszikel 2: BWV 870, 871, 872, 873, 874, 875, 876, 877, 878, 879, 880, 881, 882, 883, 884, 885, 886, 887, 888, 889, 890, 891, 892, 893 [1755]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach P 430: BWV 870, 871, 872, 873, 874, 875, 876, 877, 878, 879, 880, 881, 882, 883, 884, 885, 886, 887, 888, 889, 890, 891, 892, 893 ["scr. Altnickol, ao. 1744"]
D-Bsa SA 424, Faszikel 1: Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina: Missa Ecce sacerdos magnus"; BNB I/P/8
D-B Mus.ms. Bach St 54, Faszikel 4: BWV 82, version 1 [1746/1747]
D-B Mus.ms. Bach St 136: BWV 1060 [between 1744/1748]
D-LEb Thomana 4 (Depositum im Bach-Archiv): BWV 4 [title cover: c1750]
D-LEb Thomana 8, Faszikel 1 (Depositum im Bach-Archiv): BWV 8, version 2 [1746/1747]
D-LEb Thomana 14 (Depositum im Bach-Archiv): BWV 14 [title cover: c1750]
D-LEb Thomana 20 (Depositum im Bach-Archiv): BWV 20 [title cover: c1750]
D-LEb Thomana 58 (Depositum im Bach-Archiv): BWV 58 [title cover: c1750]
D-LEb Thomana 62 (Depositum im Bach-Archiv): BWV 62 [title cover: c1750]
D-LEb Thomana 91 (Depositum im Bach-Archiv): BWV 91 [title cover: c1750]
D-LEb Thomana 107 (Depositum im Bach-Archiv): BWV 107 [title cover: c1750]
D-LEb Thomana 122 (Depositum im Bach-Archiv): BWV 122 [title cover: c1750]
D-LEb Thomana 123 (Depositum im Bach-Archiv): BWV 123 [title cover: c1750]
D-LEb Thomana 126, Faszikel 1 (Depositum im Bach-Archiv): BWV 126 [title cover: c1750]
D-LEb Thomana 133, Faszikel 1 (Depositum im Bach-Archiv): BWV 133 [title cover: c1750]
D-LEb Thomana 139 (Depositum im Bach-Archiv): BWV 139 [title cover: c1750]
US-Wc ML96 .B186 Case BWV 812-817: BWV 812, 813 (without Mvt. 6), 814, 815, 816 (without Mvt. 6), 817 |
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Handwriting sample of Johann Christoph Altnickol, 1744, 1747 [HW-01] |
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Handwriting sample of Johann Christoph Altnickol: 2 Sanctus; V (4), bc , 1748 (Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin) [HW-02] |
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Sources:
1. All Music Guide Website (by Keith Johnson)
2. HOASM Website
3. Malcom Boyd, editor: Oxford Composer Companion J.S. Bach (Oxford University Press, 1999, Article author: Richard D.P. Jones)
4. Bernd Koska: Bachs Privatschüler in Bach-Jahrbuch 2019, English translation by Aryeh Oron (May 2020)
5. Bach Digital Website (February 2020)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (December 2005, November 2008, May 2020); Thomas Braatz (January 2011) |
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Johann Christoph Altnikol : Short Biography | Passions-Pasticcio, BWV 1088 | Motet Nun danket alle Gott, BWV Anh 164 |
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Works previously attributed to J.S. Bach |
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Some movements of Passions-Pasticcio, BWV 1088
Motet Nun danket alle Gott, BWV Anh 164 |
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Works performed by J.S. Bach |
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Motet Nun danket alle Gott, BWV Anh 164 (Text: Bible, Martin Rinckart) - performed by J.S. Bach in Leipzig c1748 ? |
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Use of Chorale Melodies in his works |
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Befiehl du deine Wege , motet for SATB chorus (CM: Befiehl du deine Wege) |
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Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ , for organ (CM: Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ) |
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Links to other Sites |
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Johann Christoph Altnickol (AMG)
HOASM: Johann Christoph Altnikol
ALTNIKOL, Johann Christoph (BBKL) [German]
Altnickol, Johann Christoph (Bach Digital) |
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Bibliography |
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A. Dürr, 'Zur Chronologie der Handschrift Johann Christoph Altnickols und Johann Friedrich Agricolas', BJb 56 (1970), pp. 44-65.
Sources: Dok I, Nr. 47, 48, 81, 82; Dok II, Nr. 578; Dok VII, S. 55; BJ 1912, S. 147f. (A. Arnheim); Löffler 1929/31, Nr. 50; Löffler 1936, S. 119; Löffler 1953, Nr. 68; MGGo; BJ 2003, S. 259–265 (B. Wiermann); NBA IX/3, Nr. 233 |
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