Tausch, Franz

1762-1817

Eminent clarinettist and founder of a school for clarinet players; born at Heidelberg. When eight years old he played clarinet in the Electoral Orchestra at Mannheim and in 1777 followed the court to Munich, where he played until 1789. He went to Vienna for six months with Peter von Winter and in 1784 toured through Northern Germany. In 1790 he became a member of the Court Orchestra in Berlin, and nine years later founded weekly musical assemblies which proved the foundation of his school for wind-instruments founded in 1805, at which Heinrich Barmann was a distinguished pupil. He died in Berlin. Tausch was a composer as well as a virtuoso and teacher, and wrote many pieces for his instrument among them three cpncertants for two clarinets; two clarinet concertos; six quartets for two basset-horns and two bassoons; six military marches for ten parts and an andante and polonaise for clarinets.