Franz Anton Hoffmeister

Composer and publisher at once, Franz Anton Hoffmeister went to Vienna to study law and stayed for music, turning out operas, symphonies, concertos, chamber works and songs. Born at Rottenburg am Neckar in 1754, he founded a Viennese house that issued Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Albrechtsberger, and later joined Ambrosius Kühnel in Leipzig to establish the Bureau de Musique — the firm that became C. F. Peters. His own works include the Viola Concerto in D major and double-bass concertos. He arrived in Vienna at fourteen and by 1785 had one of the city's first music publishing houses, second in the field only to Artaria; Clementi, Dittersdorf and Wanhal appeared under his imprint as well, Mozart dedicated a String Quartet in D to him, and Beethoven addressed him in a letter as a most beloved brother. The business reached its peak in 1791 and then gave way to composition: at least eight operas, more than fifty symphonies, and at least twenty-five flute concertos. He died in 1812.