A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Schroeter, Johann Samuel

SCHROETER, Johann Samuel, an esteemed pianoforte-player and composer for that instrument, was born in 1750 of German parents at Warsaw, where his father, Johann Friedrich, was oboist in the royal orchestra. About 1765 he accompanied his father and sister to Leipzig, and sang there in the Gewandhaus Concerts. On the breaking of his voice he devoted himself entirely to the piano, and travelled with his father, brother and sister, performing as they went, through Holland to London. There they made their début in the concerts of Bach and Abel at the Thatched House, St. James's Street, May 2, 1772, Schroeter playing a concerto on the 'Forte Piano,' which J. Christian Bach had first performed in 1767, the brother John Henri on the violin, and the sister, Corona, afterwards a celebrated vocalist, singing. Burney (in Rees's Cyclopaedia) says that 'he may be said to have been the first who brought into England the true art of treating that instrument.' After J. C. Bach's death in 1782, he succeeded him as music-master to the Queen. 'Six Sonatas for the harpsichord or piano forte' are announced by W. Napier in the 'Public Advertiser' in 1776 as his op. 1. This was followed in 1778 by op. 3, 'Six Concertos with an accompaniment for 2 violins and a bass'; and this again by op. 5 (Berlin), op. 6 (Paris), op. 2, six trios (Amsterdam), op. 9 two ditto (Do.). The 'A B C Dario' (p. 144) says of him, 'He has composed the harpsichord parts of some concertos; the accompaniments are by Bach; they are neither new nor very striking. He plays in an elegant and masterly style; his cadences are well imagined, and if his penchant was not rather to play rapidly than al core, he would excel on the pianoforte.' Burney, on the other hand (in Rees), says, 'He became one of the neatest and most expressive players of his time, and his style of composition, highly polished, resembles that of Abel more than any other. It was graceful and in good taste, but so chaste as sometimes to seem deficient in fire and invention.' He did not remain long before the public in consequence of his marriage with one of his pupils, a young lady of birth and fortune, after which he played only at the concerts of the Prince of Wales and a few others of the nobility. He died on Sunday, Nov. 2, 1788, in his own house at Pimlico, having lost his voice some years before by a severe cold. His marriage was a clandestine one, and brought him into collision with his wife's family, the result of which was his surrendering all his rights for an annuity of £500. She is the lady who took lessons from Haydn during his residence in London, and fell violently in love with him. Haydn spoke of her many years after as a very attractive woman, and still handsome, though over sixty; 'had I been free,' said the patriarch, 'I should certainly have married her'—she was then a widow. He dedicated to her three clavier trios (B. & H., Nos. 1, 2, 6). [See vol. i. p. 711.]

[ C. F. P. ]