Francesco Antonio Rosetti (c. 1750 – 30 June 1792) was a classical era composer and double bass player, and was a contemporary of Haydn and Mozart. There is considerable confusion regarding his name. The occasional mention of a supposed, but non-existent, "Antonio Rosetti born 1744 in Milan", is due to an error by Ernst Ludwig Gerber in a later edition of his Tonkünstler-LexikonErnst Ludwig Gerber, Neues historisch-biographisches Lexikon der Tonkunstler (4 vols, Leipzig: Breitkopf, 1790-92), 1750 DIED: Ludwigslust, 30 June 1792 Antonio Rosetti--not to be confused with Antonio Rosetti (1744-after 1780)-- was born north of Prague in the Vltava town now called Litoměřice of German stock and baptized Franz Anton Rösler having mistaken Rosetti for an Italian in the first edition of his own Lexikon, and therefore including Rosetti twice - once as an Italian, once as a German-Czech.Music and letters Arthur Henry Fox Strangways, JSTOR (Organization), Project Muse - 1977 "lexicographer has mistaken the Italian Antonio Rosetti for the Bohemian composer .' Gerber himself made this error ... first edition of his Tonkunstler-Lexikon, where he identified the Wallerstein Rosetti as 'born in Milan around 1744' : Many sources claim that he was born Franz Anton Rösler, and changed his name to an Italianate form by 1773, but according to a 1792 article by Heinrich Phillip Bossler, who knew Rosetti personally, he was named Rosetti from his birth. https://rosetti.de/index_eng.html, under "Who was Antonio Rosetti?": "There is likewise no evidence to support the oft-cited claim that Rosetti was born Anton Rös(s)ler. In the above-cited article, it is emphasized that he was never called "Rössler, but from birth Rosetti." "
Life and career Rosetti was born about 1750 in Litoměřice, a town in Northern Bohemia. He is believed to have received early musical training from the Jesuits in Prague. In 1773, Rosetti left his native country and found employment in the Hofkapelle of Prince Kraft Ernst of Oettingen-Wallerstein, whom he served for sixteen years, becoming Kapellmeister in 1785. While there, he orchestrated two piano concerti by Anna von Schaden. In July 1789 Rosetti left Wallerstein to accept the post of Kapellmeister to the Duke Friedrich Franz I of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in Ludwigslust where he died in service of the duke on 30 June 1792 at the age of 42 years. In 1777, he married Rosina Neher, with whom he had three daughters. In late 1781, he was granted leave to spend 5 months in Paris. Many of the finest ensembles in the city performed his works. Rosetti arranged for his music to be published, including a set of six symphonies published in 1782. He returned to his post, assured of recognition as an accomplished composer.
Rosetti wrote over 400 compositions, primarily instrumental music including many symphonies and concertos which were widely published. Rosetti also composed a significant number of vocal and choral works, particularly in the last few years of his life. Among these are German oratorios including Der sterbende Jesu and Jesus in Gethsemane (1790) and a German Hallelujah.Howard E. Smither A history of the oratorio 1977- Page 368 "Among these composers are J. W. Hertel, who set Tode's seven-part lyric Passion, one part of which is Jesus in Gethsemane (1780), set separately as a lyric oratorio by both E. W. Wolf (1788-89) and A. Rosetti (1790). ..." The English music historian Charles Burney included Rosetti among the most popular composers of the period in his work A General History of Music.Burney, Charles. A General History of Music from the Earliest Ages to the Present Period (1789). 4 vols. London: Payne and Sons, 1776-89, iv.591. Rosetti is perhaps best known today for his horn concertos, which Mozart scholar H. C. Robbins Landon suggests (in The Mozart Companion) may have been a model for Mozart's four horn concertos. Rosetti is also known for writing a Requiem (1776) which was performed at a memorial for Mozart in December 1791.
Attributing some music to Rosetti is difficult because several other composers with similar names worked at the same time, including Franciscus Xaverius Antonius Rössler.
Works list Available recordings are listed.
Symphonies
Catalog Numbers Name Key RecordingsMurrayKaulA1I:8SymphonyC majorCPO 2017A2I:46SymphonyC majorA3I:43SymphonyC majorDeutsche Harmonia Mundi 2016A4I:4SymphonyC majorA5I:6SymphonyC majorA6I:11SymphonyC majorTacet 1999, Biva 2009, RecArt 2014A7I:17SymphonyC majorA8I:26SymphonyC majorArte Nova 2000, RBM 1997A9I:21SymphonyC majorChandos 1997, Teldec 1997A10I:3SymphonyD majorCAB 2003A11I:2SymphonyD majorA12I:12SymphonyD majorChandos 1997, RecArt 2014A13I:30SymphonyD majorTeldec 1997A14I:29SymphonyD majorMDG 2001A15I:33SymphonyD majorGZ Digital Media 2008A16I:7SymphonyD majorCPO 2011A17I:15SymphonyD majorA18I:47SymphonyD majorA19I:13SymphonyD majorTacet 1999A20I:18Symphony "La Chasse"D majorOrfeo 1997, Teldec 1997, MDG 2003A21I:20SymphonyD majorArte Nova 2000, MDG 2001, Caro Mitis 2005A22I:28SymphonyD majorMDG 2003A23I:5SymphonyE flat majorArs Produktion 2011 A24I:5aSymphonyE flat majorA25deestSymphonyE flat majorA26I:35SymphonyE flat majorA27I:32SymphonyE flat majorArte Nova 2000, Teldec 1995A28I:23SymphonyE flat major (notated as D sharp)Teldec 1995A29I:9SymphonyE flat majorRBM 1997, CPO 2017A30I:34SymphonyE flat majorA31deestSymphonyE flat majorA32I:10 + I:55SymphonyF majorCPO 2011A33I:24SymphonyF majorChandos 1997A34I:45SymphonyF majorA35I:1SymphonyF majorDeutsche Harmonia Mundi 2016A36I:41SymphonyF majorA37I:37SymphonyG majorA38I:40SymphonyG majorA39I:16SymphonyG majorCPO 2005A40I:22SymphonyG majorChandos 1997, Teldec 1997A41I:44SymphonyG majorDeutsche Harmonia Mundi 2016 A42I:27SymphonyG minorRBM 1994, Teldec 1995, Arte Nova 2000, Caro Mitis 2005, K&K 2006, RecArt 2014A43I:19SymphonyB flat majorMDG 2003A44I:38SymphonyB flat majorA45I:14SymphonyB flat majorCPO 2005A46I:39SymphonyB flat majorA47deestSymphonyB flat majorlostA48I:31SymphonyB flat majorRBM 1997A49I:25SymphonyB flat majorTeldec 1995A50deestSymphonyA minorlostA51I:49SymphonyD major
Wind ensembles
Catalog Numbers Name Key RecordingsMurrayKaulB1II:9PartitaD majorCPO 2004B2II:10PartitaD majorPan Classics 2006 B3II:8PartitaD majorCPO 2004B4II:11PartitaD majorCPO 2004B5II:14PartitaD majorCPO 2004B6II:17QuintetE flat majorDeutsche Harmonia Mundi 2013, Ars Produktion 2013B7II:20PartitaE flat majorB8II:22PartitaE flat majorB9deestPartitaE flat majorB10II:6PartitaE flat majorB11II:1PartitaE flat majorB12deestPartitaE flat majorB13II:4PartitaE flat majorPan Classics 2006B14II:7PartitaE flat majorB15II:3PartitaE flat majorB16II:5PartitaE flat majorClassico 2006B17deestQuartetE flat majorClassico 2006B18II:13PartitaF majorAccent 1989, Classico 2006, Pan Classics 2006, SWR Digital 2020B19II:16PartitaF majorAulia 2004B20II:15PartitaF majorCPO 2004B21II:12PartitaF majorPan Classics 2006B22II:2SextetB flat majorClassico 2006B23II:23PartitaB flat majorB24II:19 + II:21NotturnoD majorDeutsche Harmonia Mundi 2013B25I:56SerenataC majorB26II:18SeptetE flat majorDeutsche Harmonia Mundi 2013B27I:58NotturnoE flat majorCPO 2003, Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 2013B28I:606 MenuetslostB29I:5912 Menuets
Concertos
Catalog Numbers Name Key RecordingsMurrayKaulC1deestPiano ConcertoE flat majorC2III:1Piano ConcertoG majorTacet 1999, Capriccio 2002C3III:2Piano ConcertoG majorTacet 1999C4III:3Piano ConcertoB flat majorCPO 2017C5III:8Violin ConcertoC majorCPO 2020C6III:9Violin ConcertoD majorCPO 2005C7III:7Violin ConcertoD majorCPO 2020C8deestViolin ConcertoD majorC9III:5Violin ConcertoD minorCPO 2005, Caro Mitis 2005C10III:6Violin ConcertoE flat majorC11III:4Violin ConcertoF majorCPO 2020C12deestViolin ConcertoA majorpartly lostC13III:10Violin ConcertoA majorC14I:36Symphonie Concertante for 2 ViolinsD majorMDG 2001C15deestViola ConcertoG majorSony Classical 2009C16III:14Flute ConcertoC majorOrfeo 2003C17III:16Flute ConcertoD majorVars 2001C18III:12Flute ConcertoD majorSupraphon 1956/2002C19III:23Flute ConcertoE flat majorNaxos 2008C20III:18Flute ConcertoE flat majorC21III:20Flute ConcertoF majorOrfeo 2003C22III:13Flute ConcertoG majorAlba 2003, Orfeo 2003C23III:11Flute ConcertoG majorVars 1997C24III:19Flute ConcertoG majorDeutsche Harmonia Mundi 2016C25III:17Flute ConcertoG majorOrfeo 2003C26III:24Flute ConcertoG majorC27III:22Flute ConcertoG majorKoch Schwann 2001C28III:21Flute ConcertoG majorMDG 2003C29III:32Oboe ConcertoC majorCPO 2011C30III:27Oboe ConcertoC majorCPO 2011C31III:29Oboe ConcertoC majorCPO 1991C32III:34Oboe ConcertoC majorC33III:28Oboe ConcertoD majorCPO 1991C34III:31Oboe ConcertoF majorCPO 1991, Naxos 2002C35deestOboe ConcertoF majorC36III:30Oboe ConcertoG majorMDG 2001C37III:25Oboe ConcertoG majorC38III:43Horn ConcertoD minorCaro Mitis 2005, Hanssler 2001, Teldec 1994, Nimbus 1988, Rosa 1998, Supraphon 2010C39deestHorn ConcertoD minorDeutsche Harmonia Mundi 2016C40III:35Horn ConcertoE flat majorArte Nova 2002C41III:39Horn ConcertoE flat majorebs 1997, EMI Classics 1986, Pan Classics 1998C42III:41Horn ConcertoE flat majorC43deestHorn ConcertoE flat majorArte Nova 2002C44III:48Horn ConcertoE flat majorlostC45III:46Horn ConcertoE flat majorlostC46III:47Horn ConcertoE flat majorlostC47III:40Horn ConcertoE flat majorArte Nova 2002C48III:37Horn ConcertoE flat majorCPO 2009C49III:36Horn ConcertoE flat majorHanssler 2001, Rosa 1998, ebs 1997, Zuk 2005, Supraphon 2010C50III:44Horn ConcertoE majorCPO 2009, EMI Classics 1986C51III:42Horn ConcertoE majorHanssler 2001, Rosa 1998, EMI Classics 1986C52III:45Horn ConcertoE flat majorArte Nova 2002C53III:38Horn ConcertoF majorHanssler 2001, Rosa 1998C54deestHorn ConcertoE flat majorC55III:54Concerto for 2 HornsE flat majorNaxos 1991C56deestConcerto for 2 HornsE flat majorCPO 2003; Aparte 2024C57III:53Concerto for 2 HornsE flat majorCPO 2003C58III:51Concerto for 2 HornsE majorCPO 2003C59III:50Concerto for 2 HornsE majorlostC60III:52Concerto for 2 HornsE major and F majorCPO 1999C61III:49Concerto for 2 HornsF majorCPO 2009, ebs 1997, BVA 1992, Naxos 1991C62III:55Clarinet ConcertoE flat majorCPO 1999C63III:57Clarinet ConcertoE flat majorCPO 1999C64III:58Clarinet ConcertoE flat majorlostC65deestClarinet ConcertoE flat majorlostC66III:65Clarinet ConcertoE flat majorlostC67deestBassoon ConcertoC majorCPO 2012C68III:64Bassoon ConcertoE flat majorCPO 2012C69III:60Bassoon ConcertoB flat majorCPO 2003, Naxos 2003C70III:67Bassoon ConcertoB flat majorlostC71III:65Bassoon ConcertoB flat majorlostC72III:66Bassoon ConcertoB flat majorCPO 2012C73III:61Bassoon ConcertoB flat majorCPO 2003, Naxos 2003C74III:62Bassoon ConcertoB flat majorCPO 2003, Naxos 2003, Hungaroton 2006C75III:63Bassoon ConcertoF majorCPO 2003, Naxos 2003C76deestSinfonia Concertante for 2 ViolinsE flat major
Chamber music