Wenzel Thomas Matiegka (in Czech pronounced as /macɛɪka/; Czech: Václav Tomáš Matějka; baptized 6 July 1773 – 19 January 1830[1]) was a Czech composer and one of the most celebrated guitarists of the 19th century.[2]
Wenzel Thomas Matiegka was born in the town of Choceň in the Kingdom of Bohemia, then part of the Habsburg monarchy during the rule of Joseph II. Upon completion of his primary studies, he continued his musical education under Abbé Gelinek, becoming accomplished on the pianoforte while reading law at the University of Prague. After legal employment in the service of Prince Ferdinand Kinský, one of Beethoven's original sponsors, Matiegka moved to Vienna while in his late twenties, during the first years of the 19th century. There he was quickly acknowledged as a guitarist, composer and teacher of the piano.
His ready acceptance in the musical circles of Vienna was evident by those to whom he dedicated several of his chamber works. Franz Schubert, as a young man, added a cello part to Matiegka's Notturno Op. 21 (originally for flute, viola and guitar; Schubert arrangement D.96) for the important patron of music, Count Johann Karl Esterházy (1775 – 1834), an enthusiastic cellist to whom Matiegka's original music was dedicated. Indeed the work was attributed to Schubert for many years.
Matiegka married and settled in the Vienna suburb of Leopoldstadt where he was also Kapellmeister at the St. Joseph Church from 1817 until his death. He was survived by his wife and six children, none of whom took up a musical career. His output, as it is known to this day, includes 33 guitar works including solo works, transcriptions, chamber music, and lieder as well a dozen liturgical works for small orchestra, voice and organ.
Guitar solo
Duos
Trios