A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Artaria

by Carl Ferdinand Pohl

ARTARIA. A well-known music-publishing firm in Vienna, the founders of which were Cesare, Domenico, and Giovanni Artaria, three brothers from Blevio on the Lake of Como, who settled in Vienna about the end of the year 1750. In 1770 the privilege of the Empress was granted to Carlo, the son of Cesare, and his cousins, to establish an art business in Vienna. To the sale of engravings, maps, and foreign music, was added in 1776 a music printing press, the first in Vienna, from which two years later issued the first publications of the firm of Artaria and Co. At the same time appeared the first of their catalogues of music, since continued from time to time. From the year 1780 a succession of works by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and other composers, were published by the firm, which is in full activity at the present day. A branch house was founded at Mayence in 1793 by the brothers of Pasquale Artaria; this was afterwards extended to Mannheim, in conjunction with the bookselling house of Fontaine, under the name of Domenico Artaria. In 1793 the Vienna firm united with Cappi and Mollo, who however shortly afterwards dissolved the association, and started houses of their own, Cappi again subsequently joining with Tobias Haslinger, and Mollo with Diabelli. In 1802 the business came into the hands of Domenico, a son-in-law of Carlo. Under his management the business reached its climax, and the house was the resort of all the artists of the city. His valuable collection of autographs by Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, and other famous composers, was known far and wide, though in course of time in great measure dispersed. Domenico died on July 5, 1842, and the business has been carried on since under the old name by his son August. Haydn was for many years in most intimate relations with Artaria and Co. What they published for Beethoven may be seen in the fullest detail in Nottebohm's catalogue of the works of the great composer.

[ C. F. P. ]