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★ Follow music ► Composer: Antoine Mahaut () Work: Sinfonia en La majeur No.6, Op.2 (1754) Performers: Camerata Lеodiеnsis; Hubert Schoonbroodt (1941-1992, conductor) Painting: Jan Wyck (1645-1702) - King William III and his army at the Siege of Namur (1695) Image in high resolution: Further info: Listen free: No available --- Antoine (Anton, Antonio) Mahaut [Mahault, Mahoti, Mahout] (bap. Namur, 4 May 1719 - Namur?, ) Flemish flautist and composer. Born into a family of musicians, he probably studied with his father (a flautist) before entering the service of the Bishop of Strickland at the age of 15. In 1735, according to Moret, Mahaut travelled with the bishop's entourage to London where he met John Walsh, who subsequently published his Six Sonatas or Duets. On his return to Namur in 1737 he served the wife of Walter de Colijaer, then moved to Amsterdam (in 1739, according to Gerber), where he worked as a performer and teacher. On 20 July 1751 Mahaut obtained a privilege permitting him to publish his own works. He visited Dresden, Augsburg and Paris as well as returning regularly to Namur. His acquaintance with the flautist . Buffardin in Dresden resulted in the dedication of six trio sonatas and possibly two concertos. About 1760 Mahaut settled in Paris. Although Gerber suggests that Mahaut later fled his creditors by retiring to a French monastery, he probably returned to teach in Namur. Mahaut's compositions were published extensively during his lifetime, and his flute method was published simultaneously in French and Dutch (it was announced in the Mercure de France in January 1759) and twice reprinted (1762, 1814). It marked a considerable advance on the methods of Jacques Hotteterre, Michel Corrette and Quantz, particularly with regard to technique; it was the only work of its time to distinguish between the French and Italian ways of executing the trill and appoggiatura. Mahaut's sonatas combine Italian sonata structure and instrumental figuration with French dance rhythms and ornamentation. His flute concertos demand a first-rate technique and show the influence of P.A. Locatelli (who was also living in Amsterdam) in their use of violinistic phrasing such as slurred staccato; they also display galant and early classical traits. According to Moret, Mahaut was the composer of the two ‘beautiful instrumental symphonies’ which he, his brother and his friend Bailleux performed for the Prince of Gavre in Namur in 1744. Between 1751 and 1752 Mahaut was also the editor of, and principal contributor to, Maendelyks musikaels tydverdryf, a series of italianate songs in Dutch.
