MOLTER, JOHANN MELCHIOR  

Johann Melchior Molter was born in Germany, but received his mature musical education in Italy. His life falls into two distinct periods that were determined by the quality of employment in stately homes, with a somewhat baren period in his middle years due to the financial state of his employers. It was in this period that he composed a considerable amount of chamber music for the limited number of players at his disposal. For the last twenty years he enjoyed a fine and virtuoso orchestra, this bringing a flood of concerto scores for a whole range of instruments. He was not a composer who worked on a large musical canvas, his works generally quite short.