Rosetti (real name, Rösler)

Rosetti (real name, Rösler), (Francesco) Antonio (actually, Franz Anton or František Antonin ), Bohemian composer; b. Leitmeritz, c. 1750; d. Ludwigslust, June 30, 1792. For many years Rosetti was confused with a Bohemian cobbler named Franz Anton Rosier, who was born in Niemes in 1746 and whose date of birth was erroneously listed as that of Rosetti; by adopting the name of Antonio Rosetti, he created further problems by being confused with 5 contemporary musicians with that name. He was a theological student. He was engaged as a string player in court orchs., and in 1789 became Kapellmeister to the Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. He was a prodigiously fertile composer who wrote in the manner of Haydn and Boccherini, and was even dubbed “a German Boccherini.” He wrote 3 Requiems, one of which was composed in memory of Mozart; it was performed in Prague shortly after Mozart’s death in 1791; its score is unfortunately lost. His other works include Das Winterfest der Hirten, drama with Orch. (Ludwigslust, Dec. 10, 1789), over 40 publ. syms., 5 piano concertos, 7 violin concertos, 4 clarinet concertos, about 10 flute concertos, 15 horn concertos, 6 concertos for 2 Horns, 8 bassoon concertos, etc. He also composed works for wind instruments and numerous other chamber works, as well as songs.

Bibliography

H. Kaul, Anton Rosetti: Sein Leben und seine Werke (diss., Univ. of Munich, 1911); S. Murray, The Music of A. R. (Anton Rösier) c. 1750–1792: A Thematic Catalog (Warren, Mich., 1996).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire