Krommer, Franz

1760-1831

Violinist, organist and composer, contemporary with Mozart and Haydn. He was born at Kamenitz, Moravia, and began the study of music by learning to play the organ from an uncle, who was choirmaster at Turas, in Hungary. His first position was as organist there and during the seven years he remained there he composed some church-music, only a small part of which was published. Then he gave up organ music and became a violinist in the orchestra of Count Ayrum, at Simontornya, which he afterward conducted. He held several other positions, among them that of bandmaster of the Karoly regiment, then chapelmaster to Prince  Grassalkovics and finally Court chapelmaster in 1814, in which position he went with Emperor Francis to France and Italy. His most important compositions were military pieces for windinstruments. His published works are a mass for four voices with orchestra; five symphonies for full orchestra; five concertos for the violin; duets for the clarinet and for the flute; eighteen quintets for strings; trios for strings; and symphonies for other instruments.