Hoffmeister, Franz Anton (1754-1812)

The present work is one of two double horn concertos attributed to Hoffmeister in the Oettingen -Wallerstein music collection. Its companion piece, preserved under the shelfmark D-HR III 4 1 / 2 4˚ 282, was composed by Hoffmeister for “Messieurs Nagel et Zwierzina, Musiciens de la Cour de son alte[sse le Prince] de Palm”; the annotation on the wrapper suggests that the work was completed on 17 December 1792 but this is more likely to represent an acquisition date since both Joseph Nagel (1751/52–1802) and Franz Zwierzina (1751–1825), one time members of Palm’s Harmonie in Vienna, had joined the Wallerstein Kapelle as early as 1780. Nonetheless, there is no reason to doubt that Hoffmeister probably did compose the work for these two remarkable virtuosi. The technical demands of the concerto would have placed it far beyond the capacity of most professional horn players of the period. Hoffmeister would have been well-acquainted with the playing of both musicians and no doubt tailored the solo writing to exploit the strengths of both performers. Nagel, a high horn specialist, would have played the primo part and Zwierzina (low horn), the second part.

Source – Schloß Harburg, Oettingen-Wallerstein’sche Hofkapelle (III 4 1 / 2˚ 430)