Joseph Küffner (1776 - 1856)
Divertissement op. 227 for Horn (or Violin) and Piano
Joseph Küffner being from a musician family was born in Würzburg on 31-3-1776. He started at the age of 7 years to learn the violin. At first (1791) he studied law, 1792 appeared for one "winter concert" in Würzburg for the first time as a soloist with violin. Küffner is taught by the Würzburg leader Joseph Lorenz Schmitt in 1794. Three years later Küffner devotes himself to the music tightly, became substitute at the court orchestra and 1800 is employed on a regular basis there. With the transition of Würzburg to Bavaria (1802), he was relieved of the court music service temporarily. He took over the music master position in a Bavarian regiment and received the order to reorganize the military music up-to-date. He corresponded to this task as a composer with arrangements of every kind of music for wind instruments which enjoyed great popularity. Since 1804 he worked in the court orchestra again and became an military music director at the same time. He pensions off 1814 at the dissolution of the court music, attended to only the composition now. The publishers J. André and Schott provided the distribution of his works. His music for wind instruments found much approval in France and the Netherlands primarily. At several journeys personal honours were granted to him in Brussels and Paris. Since 1827 he was a reviewer of the magazine Cäcilia now and then. Küffner dies in the monastery Haug to Würzburg on 9-9-1856. The Divertissement op.227 for horn (or violin) and piano on hand have been printed for the first time in the publishing house Schott in the year 1830. It was dedicated to Gustave Wappers (1803 - 1874). This was an important Dutch painter in the young Belgian kingdom. He had his first great successes with his painting art 1830. Küffner became painted 1835 in a half-length portrait by Wappers, ordered by the great harmony of Antwerp. Already at his first journey 1829 to Belgium Küffner sat model for this painter for the first time. Unfortunately, Küffner half-length portrait is regarded as missing today.
