Franz Xaver Hammer

Franz Xaver Hammer , called Marteau (* 1741 in Oettingen ; † October 11, 1817 in Ludwigslust ) was a German gambist , cellist and composer .

Life

Hammer worked from 1771 to 1778 under Joseph Haydn as a cellist at the Esterházy court orchestra in Eisenstadt and at Esterháza Palace . Presumably Haydn composed three of his concertos for cello and orchestra for him. Hammer's high starting salary of 100 ducats and 30 kreuzers was increased several times, which suggests an extraordinary reputation as an instrumentalist. In the concert of the Vienna premiere of Haydn's oratorio Il ritorno di Tobia Hob XXI: 2 (1775), Hammer played his own cello concerto. From 1776 to 1813 he was a member of the Wiener Tonkünstler-Societät.

After his commitment to the Esterházy, Hammer became a musician in the chapel of Cardinal Joseph Count Batthyány in Pressburg with a salary of 800 guilders . There he also appeared as a soloist of his own works in public concerts. In 1784 he went briefly to the court chapel of Count Bentheim-Tecklenburg zu Burgsteinfurt . In the following year he was accepted into the chapel of Grand Duke Friedrich Franz I at the Mecklenburg-Schwerin court of Ludwigslust with a salary of 500 Reichstalers . As in the service of Esterházy, he was regarded as a virtuoso . He often appeared as a soloist at court concerts. Concert tours led him a. a. to Prague and to the Brandenburg court in Berlin. Hammer was considered one of the most important viol and cello virtuosos of his time. In 1813 he left the court orchestra.

Sonatas for viola da gamba, viola d'amore and violoncello with figured bass have been preserved by Hammer , as well as practice pieces and solo concerts for violoncello or viol and orchestra in handwritten collections.

Web links

• Sheet music and audio files by Franz Xaver Hammer in the International Music Score Library Project
• Literature about Franz Xaver Hammer in the state bibliography MV