A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Fiala, Joseph

FIALA, Joseph, eminent oboist, born 1749 at Lobkowitz in Bohemia. He taught himself the oboe, for which he had a perfect passion, but being a serf was compelled to menial labour in the Schloss. He ran away, and was recaptured, upon which his mistress, the Countess Lobkowitz, ordered his front teeth to be pulled out that he might be incapable of playing: but some of the nobility of Prague interceded for him with the Emperor, who commanded him to be set free. He first entered Prince Wallerstein's band, and in 1777 that of the Elector at Munich. He was afterwards in that of the Archbishop of Salzburg, where he made the intimate acquaintance of the Mozarts. In 1785 he was suddenly discharged by the Archbishop, with a loss of 200 florins, on which Mozart not only urged him to come to Vienna, but offered him a good engagement. After a residence of some years in Russia he became in 1792 Capellmeister to Prince Fürstenberg at Donauschingen, where he died in 1816. He published two sets of quartets (Frankfort and Vienna, about 1780–86), 'Six duos pour violon et violoncello' (Augsburg 1799), and two sets of trios for flute, oboe, and bassoon (Ratisbon 1806), besides MS. concertos for flute, oboe, and cello. He played several other instruments well, especially the cello and double bass, and was evidently a man of mark.

[ M. C. C. ]