Friedrich Witt was born on 8 November 1770 in Niederstetten. At about the age of 17 he came to the court of Oettingen-Wallerstein to complete his musical education. He was probably a pupil of Antonio Rosetti (1750–1792). The Wallerstein archive holds an appointment decree for Friedrich Witt dated 21 January 1790, stating that Witt, from Mergentheim, had been employed by the court orchestra since 1 October with an annual salary of 300 gulden. In this orchestra he served as a cellist. The prince repeatedly granted Witt leave for concert tours, some of which he undertook together with the clarinettist Joseph Beer (1770–1819), likewise engaged at Wallerstein, travelling for instance to Potsdam, Ludwigslust and Vienna. Witt probably stayed in Vienna for an extended period from 1796 onward. In 1802 he was appointed court Kapellmeister by the Bishop of Würzburg, a post he held until the court music establishment was dissolved in 1814. From 1804 he also served as music director at the newly founded Würzburg municipal theatre. Highly honoured, he died on 3 January 1836 in Würzburg.
Parthia in F (604) for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 horns, 2 bassoons & violone
This Parthia in F, published here for the first time, comes from the Oettingen-Wallerstein collection. According to a note on the autograph score, it was completed or first performed on 10 March 1790. Witt composed for the excellent Harmoniemusik ensemble of the princely court, continuing a musical tradition in which Joseph Reicha, Paul Wineberger and Antonio Rosetti had already created works for this wind scoring.
