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Franz Danzi’s compositions cover a broad portfolio and, in this writer’s opinion, his recorded music is well worth listening to. Danzi’s 9 wind quintets, three piano/wind quintets and 4 flute concertos have been available for some time. More recently 4 bassoon concertos have been recorded for Naxos and 3 bassoon quartets for CRD. The wind quintets were among the first of this genre and compare well with Anton Reicha’s quintets. Danzi also wrote 18 stage works, sacred and secular choral music, songs, some symphonies, other concertos (some Concertante) and various other chamber music.

Danzi’s father, Innocenzo Danzi, was a cellist for the famous Mannheim Orchestra, and taught him keyboard, singing and the cello. Later he studied composition with Abbe Vogler and married the singer/violinist Margarethe Marchand. Danzi took over his father’s position at the Munich Orchestra in 1783 and toured Europe with his wife from 1790 until her death in 1800. In 1807 Danzi became Kapellmeister at the Wuttenburg Court in Stuttgart, where he was friendly with Spohr and especially the young Weber. In 1812 he became Kapellmeister at Karlesruhe, developing the orchestra successfully and writing some of his best works.

(Contribution by Adrian House <adrian.housentlworld.com>)