January 9 - Reinhard Keiser (The Musical Birthday Series, 2nd Annual Cycle)

Reinhard Keiser (9 January 1674 – 12 September 1739) was a German opera composer whose reputation rivaled Handel's and Telemann's.

[For last year's entries for Rudolf Bing and Joan Baez click here.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Should He Have Called it Camelot?

In an obituary, his colleague Mattheson described him as "the greatest opera composer in the world". — Wikipedia

Mattheson, when Keiser died,

  Declared his works of sterling worth.

In fact, I believe that he implied

  That none were better on the earth.

Posterity! Arise, take note!

  And beg the sacred muse’s pardon

That you ignored the man who wrote

  Desiderius, König der Langobarden!

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