A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Hoffmeister, Franz

HOFFMEISTER, Franz Anton, born at Rothenburg on the Neckar, 1754; studied law at Vienna, began his musical life as a Church-Capellmeister, and in 1784 opened a book, art, and music business there. This he threw up in 1798 with the intention of going to London. He however got no farther than Leipzig, remained there, and in Dec. 1800, in conjunction with Kühnel, founded the well-known 'Bureau de Musique,' which still flourishes more than ever. [Peters.] On Jan. 2, 1805, he again relinquished his business, returned to Vienna, devoted himself to composition, and died Feb. 10, 1812. Hoffmeister was an extraordinarily prolific writer; he left 350 pieces of all dimensions for the Flute alone; 120 for Strings; Symphonies and Nocturnes for full orchestra; pieces for wind band and for clavier; songs; church music; and a large list of operas—all light and pleasing, and much relished by dilettanti. The early publications of his Firm were very coarsely engraved, as for instance Haydn's overture in D and quartet in D minor (known as op. 8), also Mozart's P.F. quartets in G minor and E♭—which promised to be the beginning of a long series, but on Hoffmann's allegation that they were too obscure for the public, Mozart cancelled the contract, though applying to Hoffmeister when in want of money shortly afterwards. The nature of Beethoven's relations with him is shown by his letters of 1800 and 1801, in which he offers his op. 19, 20, 21, 22, to his 'geliebtesten Herrn Bruder.'

[ C. F. P. ]