ROM 063: Quartets Nos. 1–3 for horn, violin, bassoon (cello) and bass
ROM 064: Quartets Nos. 4–6 for horn, violin, viola and bass
These quartets were published around 1780 by Sieber in Paris, plate number 479, as Punto's Œuvre 1.
As with several of Punto's other works, these quartets, too, may be at least partly borrowed from other composers. His quintets likewise appeared generously under his name alone, and his First Horn Concerto has also come down to us under the name of Stamitz. A further manuscript copy of that concerto bears the name Pleyel, and the Rosetti scholar Sterling E. Murray attributes the work to Rosetti.
On 16 July 1780, the horn player Franz Joseph Lang wrote to Rosetti from Munich:
Your talent deserves to be admired by the whole world, and since it is justly admired by all connoisseurs, I have the good fortune of knowing you by reputation. Prompted by heartfelt esteem and as an admirer of the horn, which I have made my profession, I should like — since circumstance prevents a personal acquaintance — at least to make your acquaintance in writing. You have written six quartets for Mr. Punto; should I be able to obtain them at a fair price, I give my word of honour to abide faithfully by any condition. In the hope of this favour, which I shall endeavour to deserve in future, I await in any case a reply worthy of your excellent talent, and remain
your obedient servant,
Franz Lang the Elder, court horn player, residing on Brangerstraße
Munich, 16 July 1780
Following this letter, Rosetti composed six quartets for Punto around 1780. The scoring was almost certainly horn, violin, viola and bass. It is conceivable that Punto, seeking a promising "debut" as a composer, made only slight changes to Rosetti's quartets in scoring and opening bars (a hallmark of a "good" plagiarism) and had them printed under his own name. This cannot be proven conclusively, however, as Rosetti's original quartets have not yet been identified by scholarship.
The work is nevertheless presented here — with all due reservations — under Punto's name. Musically, it is a valuable piece of solo chamber music from the close of the 18th century that deserves to be performed.
