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Tier 3 · vertical & regionalfull biography
Gottlieb Muffat
Person · male · Passau · born 1690 · died 1770 · recording since 2009
Austrian composer and organist
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Also known as ゴットリープ・ムッファト
Timeline
9 events▣ Album 6◦ Birth 1† Death 1★ Debut release 1
1690s
1770s
2000s
· Debut release
Debut release: Componimenti Musicali per il Cembalo
First documented Album in the MusicBrainz discography.
source: musicbrainz
2010s
· Album
Album: Componiementi Musicali / Parthie in D minor / Parthie Parisien
Album
source: musicbrainz
2020s
Biography
English biography962 words · 10 sectionssource: wikipedia-en · licence CC BY-SA 4.0 · revision 1377672824
Biography
Gottlieb Muffat (25 April 1690 – 9 December 1770), son of Georg Muffat, served as Hofscholar under Johann Fux in Vienna from 1711 and was appointed to the position of third court organist at the Hofkapelle in 1717. He acquired additional duties over time including the instruction of members of the Imperial family, among them the future Empress Maria Theresa. He was promoted to second organist in 1729 and first organist upon the accession of Maria Theresa to the throne in 1741. He retired from official duties at the court in 1763.
Compositions
Muffat's compositional output is primarily limited to keyboard music. He shows considerable skill as a contrapuntist in the short liturgical fugues published in his first collection 72 Versetl sammt 12 Toccaten (Vienna, 1726). These pieces reflect a conservative approach to liturgical music in that they are organized in the order of the church tones with an introductory toccata and a regular number of versets for each tone.
His second publication, Componimenti musicali per il cembalo (Augsburg, ca. 1736), is more progressive in its outlook. This collection of six suites, while maintaining the traditional Allemande, Courante and Saraband format, is more lavishly ornamented than was characteristic of Austro-German music of that era. Some of the movements are even given fanciful French titles like La Coquette or L'aimable Esprit as were popular among the clavecinistes. Short, simple phrases and clear motives characterize the pieces in this set. The preface to this work contains an ornamentation table with symbols and performance instructions for 57 ornaments.
Much of Muffat's output remains unpublished, though it nonetheless contains much music of great interest. His manuscript containing 32 ricercare and 19 canzonas is remarkable in that it is the largest body of work from his era based on 17th century models. Like all pupils of Fux, Muffat would have studied the music of Frescobaldi and Froberger during his years of apprenticeship. In the ricercare, Muffat shows himself to be a master of the stile antico. Following the usage of the early Baroque, the contrapuntal ricercare are notated in open score and preserve the sense of modality and sectional structure of the Italian masters. The canzonas are modeled on the 16th century vocal motet and are livelier and more idiomatically instrumental in style.
Also still in manuscript are the 24 Toccatas and Capriccios. a pairing which seems to be unique to Muffat. Two styles of toccatas appear in this collection: one type features a florid melodic line over a supporting chordal structure and the second type utilizes a sectional form that juxtaposes contrasting tempi, meters and textures. The capriccios represent a variety of styles including prelude, invention, and dance forms.
Muffat and Handel
It is well established that Handel borrowed copiously from his contemporaries, including Muffat. While it would be easy to cast aspersions at Handel for this seemingly dishonest practice, it hardly diminishes his stature as a composer and probably would not have created much consternation for either party.
It is not known with certainty whether Handel and Muffat had any personal knowledge of each other, but their positions as leading musicians in major European capitals might imply at least a mutual awareness. There is a copy, in Muffat's own hand, of Handel's Suites des pieces (1720) which Muffat supplied with numerous ornaments along with a few variants of his own design. Modern edition by Hogwood 2007. Muffat as well did his own version of Handel's 6 Fugues for Keyboard (1735) HWV 605–610, first edition from the manuscript by Hogwood 2008.
For his part, Handel seems to have borrowed extensively from Muffat's Componimenti Musicali with at least 18 of these pieces appearing 30 times in Handel's output. Handel's Ode to St. Cecilia's Day seems to owe the greatest debt to Muffat, with material from five pieces being reworked into the score. Not only were themes reused in their entirety, but also counter subjects and continuing phrases were put to use by Handel. More such examples appear in Handel's oratorios Joshua, Samson, and Judas Maccabeus. The spirited fugue in the second movement of the Overture to Samson makes extensive use of a Muffat fugue from Componimenti Musicali and a similar borrowing occurs in the third movement of the Overture to Judas Maccabeus. The March which begins Act II of Joshua is a reworking of a Rigaudon by Muffat.
Harpsichord
2001: Gottlieb Muffat: Harpsichord Music Joseph Payne. CD Centaur: 2502.
2009: Gottlieb Muffat: Componimenti Musicali per il Cembalo Mitzi Meyerson. CD Glossa: GCD921804.
2013: Gottlieb Muffat: Suites for Harpsichord (vol 1) Akutagawa Naoko. CD Naxos: 8.572610
2019: Gottlieb Muffat: Suites for Harpsichord (vol 2) Akutagawa Naoko CD Naxos: 8.573275
2021: Gottlieb Muffat: Suites for Harpsichord (vol. 3) Akutagawa Naoko CD Naxos: 8.574098
2024: Muffat: Componimenti Musicali per il cembalo (1736) Roberto Loreggian CD Brilliant Classics: 96340.
Organ
2002: Gottlieb Muffat: Missa F-Dur for Organ + Toccatas. Wolfgang Baumgratz CD Ambiente 4357933
2004: Gottlieb Muffat: 72 Versetl sammt 12 Toccaten (1726) Wolfgang Baumgratz CD Ambiente: 3641001
2009: Orgelmusik am Wiener Hof: Georg und Gottlieb Muffat Wolfgang Kogert CD NCA: 60206
2010: Gottlieb Muffat toccatas, capriccios, canzonas, and ricercars Jörg Andreas Bötticher CD Pan Classics: PC10224
2025: Gottlieb Muffat: Organ-Music from the Archive of the Minorites in Vienna: ricercate, canzoni, toccate, capricci Pier Damiano Peretti CD Ambiente: ACD2023
A — Works printed during Muffat's lifetime
The A section includes the twelve toccatas with fugues, MC A1-A12, from 72 Versetl sammt 12 Toccaten (Vienna, 1726), followed by works from Componimenti Musicali per il Cembalo, MC A13-A19 (Augsburg, ca. 1736–39).
B — Keyboard partitas
Dunlop's B section contains keyboard partitas B1–B43.
App B — Anonymous keyboard partitas of uncertain authorship
This appendix contains anonymous keyboard partitas of uncertain authorship (App B1–App B9) and a Chaconne (App B10).
C — Other keyboard works
This section contains organ music, individual fugues, ricercars, canzonas, toccatas, capriccios, and other preludial or improvisatory-style pieces.
D — Chamber works
This section contains the three keyboard concertos, the Sonata pastorale, and the Salve Regina.
Discography & profile
Normalised profile
Percentiles are computed over every artist in the database, so a tier-3 artist can still sit in the 95th percentile on a single axis.
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 15 | 72.5th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 6 | 79.7th |
| Studio albums | 6 | 86.1th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 9 | 85.5th |
| Recording span (years) | -239 | 2.6th |
| Genres | 0 | 0th |
Percentiles are computed at render time; missing values mean the artist has no data on that axis.
Discography (6 release groups · 6 studio albums)
Albums · 6
Componimenti Musicali per il Cembalo
2009 · studio album
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Tracklist · 51 tracks · 2:30:12
Disc 11Suite V in D minor: I. Ouverture – Vivace3:572Suite V in D minor: II. Allemande3:473Suite V in D minor: III. Courante2:294Suite V in D minor: IV. Sarabande4:165Suite V in D minor: V. Menuet1:136Suite V in D minor: VI. Rigaudon1:507Suite V in D minor: VII. Menuet – Trio – (Menuet)3:198Suite V in D minor: VIII. Gigue1:389Suite III in D major: I. Fantaisie1:5510Suite III in D major: II. Allemande5:2911Suite III in D major: III. Courante3:1912Suite III in D major: IV. Sarabande3:3713Suite III in D major: V. Menuet1:1314Suite III in D major: VI. Rigaudon Bizarre3:1315Suite III in D major: VII. Air2:1916Suite III in D major: VIII. Finale3:5917Suite VI in G major: I. Fantaisie – Adagio – Fuga a quatro3:5018Suite VI in G major: II. Allemande3:1519Suite VI in G major: III. Courante2:4520Suite VI in G major: IV. Sarabande3:0021Suite VI in G major: V. La Coquette1:0122Suite VI in G major: VI. Menuet – Trio – (Menuet)3:2423Suite VI in G major: VII. Air2:2324Suite VI in G major: VIII. Gigue3:3725Suite VI in G major: IX. Menuet Les Cornes de Chasse1:35Disc 21Suite I in C major: I. Ouverture – Fuga – Adagio3:112Suite I in C major: II. Allemande3:013Suite I in C major: III. Courante2:394Suite I in C major: IV. Air2:085Suite I in C major: V. Rigaudon1:026Suite I in C major: VI. Menuet – Trio – (Menuet)2:577Suite I in C major: VII. Adagio0:548Suite I in C major: VIII. Final2:389Suite II in G minor: I. Prelude – Allegretto – Adagio2:3010Suite II in G minor: II. Allemande4:1111Suite II in G minor: III. Courante3:1312Suite II in G minor: IV. Sarabande3:0513Suite II in G minor: V. Bourée1:2014Suite II in G minor: VI. Menuet – Trio – (Menuet)3:0415Suite II in G minor: VII. Fantaisie2:5116Suite II in G minor: VIII. Gigue2:4717Suite IV in Bb major: I. Fantaisie – Adagio – Fuga a quatro4:3218Suite IV in Bb major: II. Allemande3:1019Suite IV in Bb major: III. Courante3:0420Suite IV in Bb major: IV. Sarabande1:5521Suite IV in Bb major: V. La Hardiesse3:0822Suite IV in Bb major: VI. Menuet 1 – Menuet 2 – (Menuet 1)4:1423Suite IV in Bb major: VII. Air3:2024Suite IV in Bb major: VIII. Hornpipe2:1525Suite IV in Bb major: IX. Gigue2:1326Suite VII in G major: Ciacona8:272010 · studio album
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Tracklist · 25 tracks · 1:16:54
1Toccata No. 1 in D Minor2:122Ricercar No. 1 in D Minor2:353Toccata No. 14 in G Minor2:524Ricercar No. 29 in G Minor4:125Toccata No. 3 in A Minor4:396Canzona No. 11 in E Minor7:157Capriccio No. 15 in A Minor, "Desperato"2:168Toccata No. 5 in C Major2:199Capriccio con pedale obligato No. 5 in C Major1:3210Canzona No. 12 in C Major2:5811Toccata No. 18 in F Minor2:0612Capriccio No. 18 in F Major1:4213Ricercar No. 28 in F Major5:0014Capriccio con pedale obligato No. 6 in F Major1:3615Toccata No. 10 in C Minor3:4916Capriccio No. 10 in C Minor1:3817Ricercar No. 25 in C Minor4:1218Toccata No. 7 in D Major3:0919Canzona No. 3 in D Major2:1820Capriccio No. 7 in D Major2:1221Toccata No. 4 in E Minor2:2022Ricercar No. 27 in E Minor4:3823Toccata No. 20 in G Major1:5824Canzona No. 5 in G Major2:3225Ricercar No. 23 in G Major4:54Componiementi Musicali / Parthie in D minor / Parthie Parisien
2013 · studio album
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Tracklist · 25 tracks · 1:05:05
1Parthie in D minor, MC B2: I. Prélude1:472Parthie in D minor, MC B2: II. Allemande4:013Parthie in D minor, MC B2: III. Courante1:404Parthie in D minor, MC B2: IV. Siciliana2:315Parthie in D minor, MC B2: V. Bourrée1:146Parthie in D minor, MC B2: VI. Menuet1:347Parthie in D minor, MC B2: VII. Finale1:488Componimenti Musicali no. 7, MC A199:539Parthie Parisien in A minor, MC B19: I. Prélude1:5610Parthie Parisien in A minor, MC B19: II. Allemande3:4511Parthie Parisien in A minor, MC B19: III. Courante1:5512Parthie Parisien in A minor, MC B19: IV. Sarabande3:1313Parthie Parisien in A minor, MC B19: V. Ballett1:1614Parthie Parisien in A minor, MC B19: VI. Aria en rondeau2:2715Parthie Parisien in A minor, MC B19: VII. Bourrée1:1516Parthie Parisien in A minor, MC B19: VIII. Menuet1:2417Parthie Parisien in A minor, MC B19: IX. Finale3:0618Componimenti Musicali No. 1, MC A13: I. Ouverture3:3319Componimenti Musicali No. 1, MC A13: II. Allemande4:0520Componimenti Musicali No. 1, MC A13: III. Courante2:1921Componimenti Musicali No. 1, MC A13: IV. Air2:5422Componimenti Musicali No. 1, MC A13: V. Rigaudon1:0523Componimenti Musicali No. 1, MC A13: VI. Menuet et trio2:4024Componimenti Musicali No. 1, MC A13: VII. Adagio1:1625Componimenti Musicali No. 1, MC A13: VIII. Finale2:282019 · studio album
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Tracklist · 34 tracks · 1:05:36
1Keyboard Suite in A major, MC B16: I. Prélude3:332Keyboard Suite in A major, MC B16: II. Allemande3:403Keyboard Suite in A major, MC B16: III. Courante2:074Keyboard Suite in A major, MC B16: IV. Sarabande2:165Keyboard Suite in A major, MC B16: V. Menuet0:586Keyboard Suite in A major, MC B16: VI. Coquette1:297Keyboard Suite in A major, MC B16: VII. Gigue1:228Keyboard Suite in D minor, MC B43: I. Fantaisie1:509Keyboard Suite in D minor, MC B43: II. Allemande3:1610Keyboard Suite in D minor, MC B43: III. Hornpipe2:0111Keyboard Suite in D minor, MC B43: IV. Gavotte en rondeau2:2212Keyboard Suite in D minor, MC B43: V. Sarabande2:4313Keyboard Suite in D minor, MC B43: VI. Menuet1:0114Keyboard Suite in D minor, MC B43: VII. Air1:3315Keyboard Suite in D minor, MC B43: VIII. Menuet – Trio2:3016Keyboard Suite in D minor, MC B43: IX. Gigue2:4817Keyboard Suite in F major, MC B9: I. Prélude1:1818Keyboard Suite in F major, MC B9: II. Menuet1:0519Keyboard Suite in F major, MC B9: III. Fantaisie1:5520Keyboard Suite in F major, MC B9: IV. Sarabande1:5521Keyboard Suite in F major, MC B9: V. Bourrée1:0722Keyboard Suite in F major, MC B9: VI. Postillon1:3123Keyboard Suite in F major, MC B9: VII. Menuet – Trio2:3424Keyboard Suite in F major, MC B9: VIII. Finale1:1025Keyboard Suite in C major, MC B15: I. Prélude2:1126Keyboard Suite in C major, MC B15: II. Menuet0:5827Keyboard Suite in C major, MC B15: III. L’Allégresse2:1828Keyboard Suite in C major, MC B15: IV. Contrefaiseur2:0929Keyboard Suite in C major, MC B15: V. Rondeau1:1130Keyboard Suite in C major, MC B15: VI. Sarabande2:0331Keyboard Suite in C major, MC B15: VII. Passepieds I & II1:4932Keyboard Suite in C major, MC B15: VIII. Gigue1:4033Keyboard Suite in C major, MC B15: IX. Marche0:5534Keyboard Suite in C major, MC B15: X. Finale2:182021 · studio album
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Tracklist · 42 tracks · 1:06:34
1Keyboard Suite in A major, MC B36: I. Prélude1:312Keyboard Suite in A major, MC B36: II. Allemande2:423Keyboard Suite in A major, MC B36: III. Courante1:484Keyboard Suite in A major, MC B36: IV. Menuet anglais0:455Keyboard Suite in A major, MC B36: V. Sarabande2:106Keyboard Suite in A major, MC B36: VI. Gavotte0:387Keyboard Suite in A major, MC B36: VII. Air en menuet0:458Keyboard Suite in A major, MC B36: VIII. Gigue anglaise1:599Keyboard Suite in G minor, MC B6: I. Prélude1:4310Keyboard Suite in G minor, MC B6: II. Le bastard1:1611Keyboard Suite in G minor, MC B6: III. Aria2:0812Keyboard Suite in G minor, MC B6: IV. Bourrée0:5513Keyboard Suite in G minor, MC B6: V. Menuet – Trio2:0514Keyboard Suite in G minor, MC B6: VI. La jalousie1:3515Keyboard Suite in G minor, MC B6: VII. Gigue1:1316Keyboard Suite in G minor, MC B6: VIII. Harlequinade1:5217Keyboard Suite in D major, MC B7: I. Fantaisie1:5018Keyboard Suite in D major, MC B7: II. Allemande2:4319Keyboard Suite in D major, MC B7: III. Courante1:4020Keyboard Suite in D major, MC B7: IV. Sarabande2:0221Keyboard Suite in D major, MC B7: V. Rigaudon1:0922Keyboard Suite in D major, MC B7: VI. Menuet – Trio1:5723Keyboard Suite in D major, MC B7: VII. Gigue2:0224Keyboard Suite in D major, MC B7: VIII. Finale2:0925Keyboard Suite in A minor, MC B37: I. Prélude1:2126Keyboard Suite in A minor, MC B37: II. Allemande2:0227Keyboard Suite in A minor, MC B37: III. Courante1:3728Keyboard Suite in A minor, MC B37: IV. Gavotte0:5629Keyboard Suite in A minor, MC B37: V. Sarabande2:4230Keyboard Suite in A minor, MC B37: VI. Paysan0:5331Keyboard Suite in A minor, MC B37: VII. Passepied0:5932Keyboard Suite in A minor, MC B37: VIII. Gigue1:1633Keyboard Suite in D minor, MC B12: I. Prélude1:2534Keyboard Suite in D minor, MC B12: II. Menuet I0:5935Keyboard Suite in D minor, MC B12: III. Fantaisie1:3236Keyboard Suite in D minor, MC B12: IV. Air2:2037Keyboard Suite in D minor, MC B12: V. Bourrée0:5238Keyboard Suite in D minor, MC B12: VI. Ballet1:1939Keyboard Suite in D minor, MC B12: VII. Gigue0:5540Keyboard Suite in D minor, MC B12: VIII. Gavotte0:4341Keyboard Suite in D minor, MC B12: IX. Menuet II –Trio2:2142Keyboard Suite in D minor, MC B12: X. Finale1:452024 · studio album
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Tracklist · 52 tracks · 2:14:14
1Suite No. 1 in C Major: I. Ouverture3:172Suite No. 1 in C Major: II. Allemande3:233Suite No. 1 in C Major: III. Courante2:054Suite No. 1 in C Major: IV. Air2:265Suite No. 1 in C Major: V. Rigaudon0:496Suite No. 1 in C Major: VI. Menuet et trio2:287Suite No. 1 in C Major: VII. Adagio1:028Suite No. 1 in C Major: VIII. Finale1:499Suite No. 2 in G Minor: I. Prelude2:4610Suite No. 2 in G Minor: II. Allemande3:0811Suite No. 2 in G Minor: III. Courante2:2712Suite No. 2 in G Minor: IV. Sarabande3:0313Suite No. 2 in G Minor: V. Bourée0:5914Suite No. 2 in G Minor: VI. Menuet et trio3:0315Suite No. 2 in G Minor: VII. Fantaisie1:4516Suite No. 2 in G Minor: VIII. Gigue2:1017Suite No. 3 in D Major: I. Fantaisie2:2118Suite No. 3 in D Major: II. Allemande4:2819Suite No. 3 in D Major: III. Courante2:2220Suite No. 3 in D Major: IV. Sarabande3:5321Suite No. 3 in D Major: V. Menuet1:1122Suite No. 3 in D Major: VI. Rigaudon bizarre2:1023Suite No. 3 in D Major: VII. Air2:4024Suite No. 3 in D Major: VIII. Finale2:4125Suite No. 4 in B‐Flat Major: I. Fantaisie5:1526Suite No. 4 in B‐Flat Major: II. Allemande2:1427Suite No. 4 in B‐Flat Major: III. Courante2:0928Suite No. 4 in B‐Flat Major: IV. Sarabande3:0929Suite No. 4 in B‐Flat Major: V. La hardiesse2:1330Suite No. 4 in B‐Flat Major: VI. Menuet I, menuet II3:0431Suite No. 4 in B‐Flat Major: VII. Air2:4532Suite No. 4 in B‐Flat Major: VIII. Hornepippe2:3133Suite No. 4 in B‐Flat Major: IX. Gigue1:4234Suite No.5 in D Minor: I. Ouverture2:5935Suite No.5 in D Minor: II. Allemande3:0136Suite No.5 in D Minor: III. Courante1:5037Suite No.5 in D Minor: IV. Sarabande3:0038Suite No.5 in D Minor: V. Menuet1:0539Suite No.5 in D Minor: VI. Rigaudon1:2540Suite No.5 in D Minor: VII. Menuet et trio2:4241Suite No.5 in D Minor: VIII. Gigue1:1642Suite No. 6 in G Major: I. Fantaisie2:2443Suite No. 6 in G Major: II. Fuga a quattro2:2844Suite No. 6 in G Major: III. Allemande2:3045Suite No. 6 in G Major: IV. Courante2:2646Suite No. 6 in G Major: V. Sarabande3:3647Suite No. 6 in G Major: VI. La coquette0:5148Suite No. 6 in G Major: VII. Menuet et trio2:3149Suite No. 6 in G Major: VIII. Air1:4250Suite No. 6 in G Major: IX. Gigue2:5051Suite No. 6 in G Major: X. Menuet en cornes de chasse1:2952Ciacona in G Major10:41
Stats & PK
Percentile within all 23,672 published artists.Put Gottlieb Muffat head-to-head →
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 15 | 72.5th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 6 | 79.7th |
| Studio albums | 6 | 86.1th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 9 | 85.5th |
| Recording span (years) | -239 | 2.6th |
| Genres | 0 | 0th |
Awards & honours
Where this record comes from
aliases/urls—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/c8096e62-9c13-48a7-8a75-13835ae26717discography—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/c8096e62-9c13-48a7-8a75-13835ae26717core—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q695396seed-list—wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gottlieb_Muffatbiography—wikipedia-en · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gottlieb_Muffat
Why this artist is in the database
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Wikidata: Q695396 · MusicBrainz: c8096e62-9c13-48a7-8a75-13835ae26717