Compositor: Krommer, Franz (1759-1831)

Born in Kamenice, František Kramář, better known by his German name as Franz Krommer, made his career in the service of various noblemen, finally settling in Vienna, where he became director of music for the Court Ballet and later entering the service of the Emperor Franz I, finally as imperial director of chamber music and court composer. Krommer's orchestral music includes symphonies and concertos, the latter for his own instrument, the violin, and for various wind instruments, either single or in multiple concertos. He added to the repertoire of Harmoniemusik, music for wind band, with well crafted compositions that serve their entertaining purpose admirably. Krommer's string quartets seemed to contemporaries to equal those of Haydn and rival those of Beethoven. He wrote a quantity of chamber music, quintets and quartets, a number of these involving wind instruments, in addition to trios and duos, all reflecting the style and taste of the period in which he lived.