Franz Anton Hoffmeister (1754 – 1812)
For more on Hoffmeister's life, visit french-horn.net (in German).
Concerto No. 1 for 2 Horns and Orchestra in E Major
First Edition
Franz Anton Hoffmeister probably got to know the two Wallerstein horn players Joseph Nagel and Franz Zwierzina during their first engagement: from 1780, both were employed in Vienna by Prince Palm. The title of the concerto mentions this once more, although by the time of composition (1792) both had long been serving in Wallerstein. The title reads:
Concerto in E:Dur / per il Stromenti / Due Violini / Due Oboe / Due Corni / Viola, et Basso / Del Sig: Hoffmeister.
Composés le 17 eme Decembr. 1792 A Vienne / pour Messieurs Nagel et Zwirzina / Musiciens de la Cour de son alte [esse le Prince ] de Palm
The two horn players may occasionally have been lent out to Vienna, which would explain the late date. The work contains a quotation from Mozart: Hoffmeister cites bars 97 and 105 of the solo horn part from Mozart's Horn Concerto K. 495, but continues them differently. A bow to Mozart, whose principal publisher Hoffmeister was?
At the end of the manuscript copy of this concerto there is a further entry: Johanes Nages und A. Zwirzina in Wallerstein Blasen es 1805 ("Johannes Nagel and A. Zwirzina play it in Wallerstein, 1805"). Johannes Nagel was the son of the horn player Joseph Nagel, who died in 1802. A. Zwirzina may refer to Joseph Anton Alois Zwierzina. Both followed their fathers as horn players in Wallerstein, Johannes Nagel for example from 1805.
Orchestral parts: 5/5/2/2/5 winds, solo
3rd movement: Rondo Allegro