Friedrich Witt

Not to be confused with Christian Friedrich Witt.

Friedrich Jeremias Witt (November 8, 1770 January 3, 1836) was a German composer and cellist. He is perhaps best known as the likely author of a Symphony in C major known as the Jena Symphony, once attributed to Ludwig van Beethoven.

Biography

Witt was born in 1770, the same year as Beethoven, and was a German composer of considerable stature in his time. He was born in the Württemberg village of Niederstetten, the son of a cantor and court clerk. Witt became a cellist (some accounts say a violinist) in the court orchestra of Oettingen-Wallerstein when he was nineteen, taking composition lessons there with Antonio Rosetti- that is, Anton Rosler.[1] Witt was most famous in his lifetime for his oratorio Der leidende Heiland- in English, The Suffering Saviour, securing an appointment as Kapellmeister for the Prince of Würzburg, and later for the theater, where he stayed until his death. He also wrote two operas: Palma (1804) and Das Fischerweib (1806). His other compositions include concertos, church music, chamber music and symphonies. His best known work, a symphony in C major known as the Jena, is largely based on the Symphony No. 97 by Joseph Haydn.

Stephen Fisher compiled a thematic index of Witt's symphonies.[2]

Notes

  1. Greene, David Mason. Greene's Biographical Encyclopedia of Composers, Reproducing Piano Roll Fnd., (1985) ISBN 0-385-14278-1, p. 442
  2. Fisher, Stephen (1983). Friedrich Witt (1770–1836), Anton Eberl (1765–1807), symphonic works : thematic index. Unknown, Possibly Garland Publishing. OCLC 475343768. Published the same year as Garland Publishing's edition (by Fisher) of Witt's symphony in D (Thematic Index FisW 2.) The RISM catalog online lists 15 (and one fragmentary - unfinished?) of Witt's symphonies with manuscript copy (or other source) locations and Fisher thematic catalogue numbers, but assuming none of the works before no.23- the last, fragmentary one, they list- are also unfinished, that still leaves 18 Witt symphonies (since their database includes a listing of his symphony catalog no. 18.)

Sources

Discography

External links

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