WALTHER, Johann Jacob, violinist and composer, was born in 1650 at Witterda, a village near Erfurt in Thuringia. The name of his teacher is unknown, but as he styles himself on the title of one of his works 'Italian Secretary to the Elector of Mayence,' it appears probable that he had acquired his knowledge of the language in Italy, and therefore had some connection with the school of violin-players of that country. We find him first as a member of the band of the Elector of Saxony at Dresden, and later on attached to the court of the Elector of Mayence. The place and date of his death are unknown. Two sets of violin compositions of his have been preserved:
- Scherzi da Violino solo, con il Basso Continuo per l'Organo ò Cimbalo, accompagnablle anche con una Viola ò Liuto, di Giovanni Giacomo Walther, Primo Vlolinista di Camera di sua Altezza Elettorale di Passonia mdclxxvi.
- Hortulus Chelicus, uni Violino, dnabus, tribus et quatuor subinde chordis simuli sonantibus harmonia modulanti. Studiosa varietate consitus a Johanne Jacobo Walthero, Eminentiss. Celsitud. Elector. Maguntin. Secretario Italico. Maguntiae, sumptibus Lud. Bourgeat. Academi. Bibliopol. 1688.
The musical interest of these compositions is but small. They consist chiefly of short preludes, pieces in dance-forms (gavottes, sarabandes, etc.), and sets of variations. In some respects they remind is of the works of
Farina (see that
article), who was his predecessor at Dresden. Like Farina he appears fond of realistic tone-pictures—he imitates the cuckoo, the nightingale, the crowing of the cock, and other sounds of nature. In a set of variations we meet with imitations of the guitar by pizzicatos, of pipes by passages going up to the sixth position on the first string, of the trumpet by fanfares on the fourth string; further on he introduces echo-effects, the lyre, the harp, and winds up with a 'Coro' in full chords. Besides these childish efforts, it is true, we find some more serious pieces, which, as far as invention, harmonic and metrical treatment go, are decidedly an advance on Farina's style. Still they are extremely clumsy and altogether inferior to the better productions of Walther's Italian contemporaries. Walther's importance for the history of the development of violin-playing consists exclusively in the advanced claims his writings make on execution. While the technique of the Italians of the same and even a later period was still very limited even Corelli does not exceed the third position some Germans, especially
Biber (see that article), and Walther appear as pioneers of execution on the fingerboard. Walther ascends to the sixth position, frequently employs difficult double-stoppings, and uses a variety of bowing.
