Holzbauer, Ignaz

1711-1783

Born in Vienna. His father, intending him for the law, opposed his study of music, but he studied secretly. After a short trip to Venice his  father withdrew his opposition, and he became chapelmaster to Count Rottal in Moravia. He became director, in 1745, at the Court Theatre of Vienna, and his wife was engaged as singer. Two years later they made a tour of Italy, and in 1751 he became chapelmaster to the Duke of Würtemburg at Stuttgart. His pastoral opera, II Figlio delle Selve, m 1753, won for him the appointment of chapelmaster to the Elector Palatine at Mannheim. Here, with Cannabich as leader, he made the orchestra famous for its excellent performances. Here he composed his only German opera, Günther von Schwarzburg, which made a great success. Holzbauer died in Mannheim, having been entirely deaf for some years. Mozart praised his work very highly. He composed other operas, beside those previously mentioned, about two hundred instrumental symphonies, eighteen quartets for strings, thirteen concertos for various instruments, five oratorios, twenty-six orchestral masses and motets.