Leopold Hofmann
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Leopold Hofmann (also Ludwig Hoffman, Leopold Hoffman, Leopold Hoffmann; 14 August 1738 – 17 March 1793) was an
Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...
n composer of
classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be #Relationship to other music traditions, distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical mu ...
.


Biography

Hofmann was the son of a highly educated civil servant, and at the age of seven became a
chorister A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...
in the chapel of the Empress Elisabeth Christine, where his choral director and teacher was very likely František Tůma. He was also a student later on of Georg Christoph Wagenseil and Giuseppe Trani (violin). His studies included at various points violin, harpsichord and composition. In 1758 Hofmann secured what may have been his first appointment, as "musicus" at St. Michael's. He is known to have become choral director at St. Peter's Church in 1764 and, in 1766,
kapellmeister ( , , ), from German (chapel) and (master), literally "master of the chapel choir", designates the leader of an ensemble of musicians. Originally used to refer to somebody in charge of music in a chapel, the term has evolved considerably in i ...
. In 1769 he became a teacher to the royal family. The position of Kapellmeister at the Cathedral of St. Stephan, a post he acquired in 1772, was among his next responsibilities. At this time he declined the directorship of the Imperial Chapel, but did apply there two years later in 1774, failing in his application. (
Giuseppe Bonno Giuseppe Bonno (29 January 1711 – 15 April 1788) Michael Lorenz gives his first name as "Joseph" because Emperor Joseph I was his godfather; Lorenz also asserts that Bonno was born on 30 JanuaryHaydn Singing at Vivaldi's Exequies: An Ineradic ...
became director of the Imperial Chapel instead, which had become open upon the death of
Florian Leopold Gassmann Florian Leopold Gassmann (3 May 1729 – 21 January 1774) was a German-speaking Bohemian opera composer of the transitional period between the baroque and classical eras. He was one of the principal composers of ''dramma giocoso'' immediat ...
.) On 9 May 1791, at his own request,
Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition and proficiency from an early age ...
was appointed assistant-Kapellmeister to Hofmann, an unpaid position. At the time Hofmann was ill and Mozart anticipated becoming Kapellmeister upon Hofmann's death. However, Hofmann survived Mozart and kept his post as Cathedral Kapellmeister until he died.


Selected worklist


Symphonies

The following list was drawn up by George Cook Kimball in his Ph.D. thesis.


Concertos

The following list was drawn up by Allan Badley in his Ph.D. thesis.Badley, Allan. ''The concertos of Leopold Hofmann (1738–1793)'' Thesis. (University of Auckland.)


Other works

*A
mass Mass is an Intrinsic and extrinsic properties, intrinsic property of a physical body, body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the physical quantity, quantity of matter in a body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physi ...
a cappella (republished with masses by Wagenseil and Georg Reutter by A-R Editions in 2004) *Duos and sonatas for various instruments, including a divertimento for flute and bassoon, one for 2 violins with continuo, one for two violas with bass. His opus 1 is a set of sonatas a tre for viola and violoncello with cello accompaniment. *Choral music **Motet "Altra nocte" **"Pastor bone : chorus pastoralis" for mixed choir, concertante organ, two violins and bass (2 oboes, 2 trumpets and drums probably added later). ** Missa "Sancti Aloysii" in D major ** Requiem in C minor (Recent recordings of his music include recordings of many of the concertos, some of the symphonies including five on
Naxos Records Naxos comprises numerous companies, divisions, imprints, and labels specializing in classical music but also audiobooks and other genres. The premier label is Naxos Records, which focuses on classical music. Naxos Musical Group encompasses about ...
, etc., including a CD from 2000 of Artaria discoveries and others of cello flute, violin and oboe concertos.) His compositions have been catalogued by Allan Badley.


References


Further reading

*Eisen, Cliff. Kimball, George Cook. and Monk, Dennis C. Three symphonies / Franz Asplmayr ; edited by Dennis C. Monk. Four symphonies, them. index D7, E♭1, D1, D2 / Leopold Hofmann ; edited by G. Cook Kimball. Three symphonies, them. index 23, 18, 25 / Wenzel Pichl ; introduction by Richard J. Agee ; thematic index compiled by Anita Zakin. Salzburg. Part 1. The Symphony in Salzburg: Volume 1. New York: Garland, 1984. . *Kreiner, Viktor. ''Leopold Hofmann als Sinfoniker (1738–1793)''. Thesis (doctoral) Universität Wien, 1958. *Umble, Kathryn Thomas. ''A transcription and stylistic analysis of Leopold Hoffmann's Flute Concerto in G'' Thesis (Master of Music hesis # 4539
Bowling Green State University Bowling Green State University (BGSU) is a Public university, public research university in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The main academic and residential campus is south of Toledo, Ohio. The university has nationally recognized progr ...
, May 1985. *Badley, Allan: ''Leopold Hofmann (1738-1793). Sechs Konzerte für Tasteninstrument'' (Denkmäler der Tonkunst in Österreich, Band 161). Wien, Hollitzer, 2019 (in german and english language).


External links

*
HOASM bio

Bio and list of works at the Michael Haydn Site



Editions by Leopold Hofmann at Artaria Editions
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hofmann, Leopold 1738 births 1793 deaths Austrian Classical-period composers Composers for cello 18th-century Austrian classical composers 18th-century Austrian male musicians Austrian male classical composers