A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Doles, Johann
DOLES, Johann Friedrich, born in 1716 at Steinbach in Saxe-Meiningen, was educated at the Schleusingen Gymnasium, where he availed himself of instruction in singing and in playing on the violin, clavier, and organ. In 1738 he went to Leipzig for a course of theology at the University, and while there pursued his musical studies under J. S. Bach. His compositions, however, bear little trace of Bach's influence; though fluent and correct, they have none of that great master's depth and grandeur. Doles would seem to have been more affected by the Italian Opera, with which he became familiar by constant attendance at performances given for the Saxon court at Hubertsburg. His light, pleasing, and melodious compositions, together with the charm of his manners, rapidly brought him popularity at Leipzig. In 1743 he was appointed conductor of the first Gewandhaus Concerts;[1] and on March 9, 1744, he was commissioned to write a Festival Cantata in celebration of the anniversary of their foundation. In that same year he was appointed Cantor at Freiburg, where he wrote, in 1748, on the occasion of the hundredth anniversary of the Peace of Westphalia, the Singspiel, out of which arose the famous dispute between Biedermann, Mattheson, and Bach.[2] In 1755 he succeeded Gottlob Hasser as Cantor of the Thomasschule and also as director of the two principal churches, which posts he held until 1789, when old age and failing health compelled him to resign them. In the spring of 1789 Mozart visited Leipzig, and on April 22 he played on the organ at St. Thomas's Church, and made his well-known remark to Doles about Bach's music. [See Mozart, vol. ii. p. 392 b.] It was probably on the same occasion that J. C. Barthel played before Mozart at Doles's house. [See Barthel, J. C. ] And in the following year Doles published his cantata to Gellert's words, 'Ich komme vor dein Angesicht' (Leipzig, 1790), dedicated to his friends Mozart and Naumann. Special interest attaches to this work, because its preface records Doles's opinions as to the way in which sacred music should be treated, and those opinions have little in common with the traditions of J. S. Bach. It is plain, indeed, that although Doles was proud of having been Bach's pupil, and therefore unwilling to depreciate him openly, he took no pains whatever, during his directorship at Leipzig, to encourage and extend the taste for his great master's works. Bach's church-music was almost entirely neglected both by him and his successor, J. A. Hiller. Doles died at Leipzig on Feb. 8, 1797.
His compositions consist principally of cantatas, motets, psalms, sacred odes and songs, and chorales, many of which have been printed, including some sonatas for the clavicembalo. His 'Elementary Instruction in Singing' had, in its day, considerable reputation as a useful practical method. Among his many unprinted works may be mentioned two oratorios (the Passion-music according to St. Mark and St. Luke), two masses, a Kyrie, a Gloria, a Salve, and a German Magnificat.