Pavel Vranický

Wranitzky was born in Neureisch (Nová Říše) in Moravia, today Czech Republic. He studied at the Faculty of Theology of University of Olomouc and later a theological seminary in Vienna. At age 20, like so many other Czech composers of that period, he moved to Vienna to seek out opportunities within the Austrian imperial capital. From 1790, he conducted both royal theater orchestras. He was highly respected by Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven; the latter two preferred him as conductor of their new works (although Beethoven's First Symphony premiere was conducted neither by Beethoven himself, nor by Wranitzky but by Giacomo Conti). Wranitzky was a prolific composer. His output comprises ten operas, 44 symphonies, at least 56 string quartets (some sources give a number as high as 73) and a large amount of other orchestral and chamber music. His opera, Oberon – The Fairy King from 1789 was a favorite in this genre and inspired Emanuel Schikaneder to write the libretto of The Magic Flute for Mozart in 1791; in the mid-1790s, Goethe sought to collaborate with Wranitzky on a sequel to the Mozart opera. Today, Wranitzky is attributed as being one of three possible composers said to have composed the Austrian national anthem (the identity of the actual composer of which is not definitively known). In 1797, four years after the execution of Louis XVI, Wranitzky wrote Grand Characteristic Symphony for the Peace with the French Republic, which includes the "Funeral March on the Execution of Louis XVI". Wranitzky died in Vienna on 29 September 1808. Beethoven wrote Variations on a Russian Dance (WoO 71), based on a theme in Wranitzky's ballet Das Waldmädchen (The Forest Maiden).

Operas • Die gute Mutter (Johann Baptist von Alxinger, Vienna, 1795) • Das Maroccanische Reich oder Die unterirdischen Schätze (1795) • Die Dienstpflicht (s.a.) Operettas • Das Fest der Lazaronen (Joachim Perinet, Vienna, 1794) Singspiele • Oberon, König der Elfen (libretto by Friederike S. Seyler, extensively revised by Karl Ludwig Giesecke. Vienna, 1789) • Der dreifache Liebhaber (Vienna, 1791) • Rudolph von Felseck (J. Korompay, Vienna, 1792) • Merkur, der Heiratstifter, oder Der Geiz im Geldkasten (Vienna, 1793) • Die Post-Station oder Die unerwartete Zusammenkunft (S.F. Künster, 1793) • Der Schreiner (August von Kotzebue, Vienna, 1799) • Die drei Buckligen (Warsaw, 1808) Other types of opera works • quadro musicale romantico: Johanna von Montfaucon (August von Kotzebue, Vienna, 1799) • Liedspiel: Das Mitgefühl (Friedrich Treitschke, Vienna, 1804) • divertissement: Das Picknick der Götter (Schönbrunn, 1804); Die Erkenntlichkeit (Vienna, 1804) • travestimenti-melologhi: Medea; Macbeth Ballets • Die Weinlese (Vienna, 1794) • Zephir und Flora (Vienna, 1795) • Das Waldmädchen (Vienna, 1796) • Die Luftfahrer (Vienna, 1797) • Cyrus and Tomyris (1797) • Die Waise der Berghöhle (Vienna, 1810) • Walmir und Gertraud (ca. 1800) • Das Urteil des Paris (Vienna, 1801) • Der Raub der Sabinerinnen (Vienna, 1804) • Zufriedenheit mehr als Reichtum (Vienna, 1805) • Zelina und Gorano (Vienna, 1806) Theatre music • Rollas Tod (August von Kotzebue, Vienna, 1795) • Achmet und Zenide (August Wilhelm Iffland) • Jolantha • Die Rache • Siri-Brahe

• 1 cantata • 56 symphonies: 29 published symphonies, 27 symphonies in manuscripts • 3 piano sonatas • 1 Missa Concertos • Violin Concerto in C • Violin Concerto in D • Violin Concerto in F • Violin Concerto in G • Cello Concerto in C, Op. 27 • Flute Concerto in D, Op. 24/Op. 1 • Oboe Concerto in G • Concertante for Flute and Oboe in C, Op. 39 • Concertino for Oboe and Cello in D (lost) • Concerto for Two Flutes in G (lost) Other orchestra works • Overture, Divertimenti, Tafelmusik, dances Chamber Music • String Trio in G Major, Op. 3 No. 3 (recorded by The Vivaldi Project on MSR Classics 1623) • Quartets, quintets, etc.