Antonin Vranicky (13.6. 1761 Nova Rise – 6.8. 1820 Vienna)

Famous Bohemian violinist, composer and pedagogue of classical period. Younger brother of Pavel Vranicky, also called Anton Wranitzky abroad. He got his first education in the Monastery of Premonstratensians in his hometown. Later he studied Philosophy in Olomouc, then law and music in Brno (1778-1782). Then apparently influenced by his older brother, he left to Vienna. There he took lessons from Haydn, Mozart and Albrechtsberger. For a bigger part of his life, he was a bandmaster at the court of Prince Josef Frantisek Maxmilian Lobkowicz in Vienna, Prague and at the castles of Roudnice, Jezeri and Bilina by turns. In 1807 he became director of Vienna Court Theatre orchestra. He wrote mostly orchestral and chamber music; the abilities of top violinist were reflected in his works, which are considered quite difficult even today.

Works:

• violin concertos
• violin sonatas
• several violin symphonies
• a number of chamber string compositions (quartets, quintets, duos)
• several compositions for wind instruments
• Mass in E

Sources:

Wikipedia
Mala encyklopedie hudby (dr. Jar. Smolka; &kolektiv, Supraphon 1983)
CD booklet (Josef Rejcha, Antonin Vranicky: Concertos for violin, Cello and Orchestra, GZ 1995)

Sample (MP3):
Concerto in B Flat Major (1. Allegro Maestoso, Shizuka Ishikawa-violin, Karel Fiala-cello, Musica Bohemica cond. by Jaroslav Krcek; CD Concertos for violin, Cello and Orchestra, GZ 1995 )