Friedrich Witt was born on 8 November 1770 in Niederstetten. At around 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 (c. 1750–1792).
The Wallerstein archive holds a decree of appointment dated 21 January 1790. It states that Witt, who is described there as being from Mergentheim (!), had been employed in the court orchestra since 1 October at an annual salary of 300 gulden. In this orchestra he played the cello.
The prince repeatedly granted Witt leave for concert tours. He undertook some of these journeys together with Joseph Beer (1770–1819), a clarinettist who was also employed at Wallerstein, travelling to places such as Potsdam, Ludwigslust and Vienna. Witt probably stayed in Vienna for an extended period from 1796 onwards.
In 1802 the Bishop of Würzburg appointed Witt court Kapellmeister, a post he held until the court music was dissolved in 1814. From 1804 he was also music director of the newly founded Würzburg Stadttheater. Highly honoured, he died in Würzburg on 3 January 1836.
Symphony in C major
First edition
This symphony was composed during Witt's time in Wallerstein, around 1790.
