A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Ramm, Friedrich
RAMM, Friedrich, eminent oboe-player, born Nov. 18, 1744, in Mannheim. He was a member of the Elector's celebrated band under Cannabich, first in Mannheim, and then in Munich, whither the court removed, and where he celebrated his fiftieth year of service in 1808. His tone was particularly pure and true, with great roundness, softness, and power in the lower notes; and he was also a master of the legato style. 'Ramm is a downright good fellow,' writes Mozart, 'amusing and honourable too; he plays finely, with a pretty delicate tone.' Mozart sent him the oboe-concerto (Köchel, 293) composed for Ferlendi (which became his cheval de bataille), and when in Paris composed a symphonic concertante for Wendling, Ramm, Punto, and Ritter, to be played at the Concerts Spirituels. It was however never performed, and all trace of it is lost (Jahn, i. 476).
Ramm played in London at the Professional Concerts in 1784. In Vienna he gave a concert at the Karnthnerthor Theatre in 1787, and played three times at the concerts of the Tonkünstler-Societät between the years 1776 and 81.
He was in Vienna again, after April 1797, and assisted to accompany Beethoven at a performance of his PF. Quintet, op. 16. At one of the pauses of the Finale Beethoven went off into a long improvisation, and it was, says Ries,[1] most amusing to see the players putting up their instruments to their lips as they thought that Beethoven was approaching the reprise of the theme, and as regularly putting them down in disappointment as he modulated off in another direction. Ramm was especially annoyed.
- ↑ Biogr. Notizen, p. 80. The beginning of this anecdote—Am nämlichen Abend—on the same evening—would seem to show that Ries's recollections are not printed in the order in which he wrote them.