A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Diabelli, Anton

by Carl Ferdinand Pohl

DIABELLI, Anton, head of the firm of Diabelli & Co., music publishers in Vienna, and composer of pianoforte and church music, born Sept. 6, 1781, at Mattsee in Salzburg. His piano pieces are well written, at once graceful and good practice, and both these and his numerous arrangements had an immense popularity. His masses, especially the 'Landmessen' (for country churches), are widely spread in Austria, being for the most part easy to execute, and interesting, if not particularly solid. He also composed songs for one and more voices, and an operetta, 'Adam in der Klemme.' Being intended for the priesthood he received a good general education, and profited much from association with Michael Haydn, who superintended his musical studies. When the Bavarian convents were secularised in 1803, he gave up the idea of taking orders, went to Vienna, and was warmly received by Joseph Haydn. He soon became a popular teacher of the pianoforte and guitar, made money enough to become partner with Peter Cappi the music-publisher in 1818, and in 24 the firm became Diabelli & Co. The latter half of his life is much more interesting than the former, as it brings us into contact with one of the first music-publishing establishments in Vienna, where Czerny was for many years a daily visitor, and where all the leaders of the musical world went in and out. In 1852 the firm became C. A. Spina, and in July 72 F. Schreiber, under which name it still continues, though the business was purchased in May 76 by A. Cranz of Hamburg. Their publications at this moment amount to over 25,000. In Diabelli's time they acquired the publications of the extinct firms of M. Artaria, L. Kozeluch, Th. Weigl, Berka, Leidesdorf, Pennauer, and Traeg, and in 1855 those of Carlo Mecchetti. They published specially for Schubert, Czerny, Strauss, and Lanner; also Marpurg's 'Abhandlung von der Fuge' revised by Sechter, and Keicha's 'Lehrbuch'; and, under the title 'Ecclesiasticon,' a collection of church music. In 1874 they issued a fresh catalogue of their publications, and a thematic catalogue of Schubert's published works, compiled with his usual exhaustive accuracy by Nottebohm. Diabelli died April 8, 1858. His quiet and unassuming life made him many friends, some of whom in 1871 erected a tablet to his memory on the house at Mattsee in which he was born. Beethoven wrote his 33 Variations (op. 120) on a waltz of Diabelli's, and this alone will preserve his name to posterity should it disappear in other ways.

[ C. F. P. ]