Friedrich Witt
Quartet Eb major for Horn, Violin, Viola and Violoncello
Friedrich Witt was born 8 Nov. 1770 in Niederstetten. At the age of 17 he came to the court of Oettingen-Wallerstein to complete his musical education. He was probably a student of Antonio Rosetti (1750-1792). There is a letter at the Wallerstein archive that says that Friedrich Witt was employed since October 1789 for 300 Gulden per year at the court orchestra. He played the cello. The prince let him often go for concert tours. Witt was from 1796 for a longer time in Vienna. In 1802 the bishop of Würzburg called him court chapel master where he worked until the dissolution of the court music. Additionally, he was music director of the Stadttheater Würzburg. Witt died highly respected 3 January 1836 in Würzburg.
A copy of an unknown has the quartet being available here in the first edition for horn, violin, Viola and violoncello copyists out of the princely library of Löwenstein-Wertheim as a presentation. The title is: Quatour / pour /Cor, Violin, Alto a Violoncello / Composses par / F. Witt / Maitre de Capelle de S. a. F. le Grand Dux / de Wirzebourg
The work has come into being between 1804 - 1814. Unfortunately, there is no piece of evidence, for which hornists the work was composed. In 1995 this nobility library came auction to it publicly. The copy which served as a source is in the private property today.
