Roman Hoffstetter
Encyclopedia
Roman Hoffstetter was a classical
composer
and Benedictine monk
who also admired Joseph Haydn
almost to the point of imitation. Hoffstetter wrote "everything that flows from Haydn's pen seems to me so beautiful and remains so imprinted on my memory that I cannot prevent myself now and again from imitating something as well as I can."
In 1965, a musicologist named Alan Tyson published his finding that the entire set of six String Quartets long-admired as Haydn's Op. 3, including the Andante cantabile of No. 5 in F Major known as Haydn's Serenade, were actually by Roman Hoffstetter.
Little is known about his early training or life, though it is likely that he came from a musical family. He was one of a pair of twins; the other was Johann Urban Alois Hoffstetter, who became director of the Franconian province of the Teutonic Order and also a small-time composer. Hoffstetter took his vows as Pater Romanus at the Benedictine monastery in Amorbach
on June 5, 1763, and was ordained a priest on September 10, 1766. He succeeded in due time to the position of Regens chori (choir director), also functioning as an organist and on-call parish priest for smaller churches in the Odenwald
region, although his principal position at the monastery was as culinary overseer (Küchenmeister). The majority of works written for Amorbach were lost in the dissolution of the monastery library by French forces in 1803. Following the secularization of Amorbach in 1803, Hoffstetter retired – almost completely deaf and blind – to Miltenberg-am-Main with his abbot, Benedikt Kuelsheimer. He died there 12 years later.
Hoffstetter's music has the virtue of being memorable, with clear-cut themes that stay in the memory and make it easy to follow the musical development. Besides his string quartets (which have had to be carefully researched for stylistic earmarks that distinguish them clearly from Haydn), Hoffstetter composed at least ten Masses
(several of which are preserved at the Archdiocesian Archives in Würzburg), as well as a number of smaller church works, including a lost Miserere on which he collaborated with Swedish-German composer Joseph Martin Kraus
(1756–1792). In addition, there exist three viola concertos offered for sale in the Breitkopf
catalogue in 1785. They are arguably the most virtuosic vehicles for viola written in the eighteenth century, and, if genuine, would represent the apex of Hoffstetter's creative career. [Fine, M., "The Viola Concertos of Fr. Roman Hoffstetter, OSB", DMA diss., Memphis St. Univ., 1990]
Hoffstetter is best known for his friendship with Kraus, who was born in nearby Miltenberg-am-Main. Their friendship began as early as 1774 and continued through Kraus's appointment as court composer to Swedish king Gustav III
, and on through to Kraus's death. Hoffstetter corresponded with both Kraus, and his early biographer, Swedish diplomat Fredrik Samuel Silverstolpe, who put him in touch with his idol, Haydn. Nine of these letters, written in 1800 to 1802, have been preserved in Silverstolpe's collection at Uppsala University
library. [Unverricht, H. "Die Beide Hoffstetter," 1968]
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and Benedictine monk
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
who also admired Joseph Haydn
Joseph Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...
almost to the point of imitation. Hoffstetter wrote "everything that flows from Haydn's pen seems to me so beautiful and remains so imprinted on my memory that I cannot prevent myself now and again from imitating something as well as I can."
In 1965, a musicologist named Alan Tyson published his finding that the entire set of six String Quartets long-admired as Haydn's Op. 3, including the Andante cantabile of No. 5 in F Major known as Haydn's Serenade, were actually by Roman Hoffstetter.
Little is known about his early training or life, though it is likely that he came from a musical family. He was one of a pair of twins; the other was Johann Urban Alois Hoffstetter, who became director of the Franconian province of the Teutonic Order and also a small-time composer. Hoffstetter took his vows as Pater Romanus at the Benedictine monastery in Amorbach
Amorbach Abbey
Amorbach Abbey was a Benedictine monastery located at Amorbach in the district of Miltenberg in Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany.- History :...
on June 5, 1763, and was ordained a priest on September 10, 1766. He succeeded in due time to the position of Regens chori (choir director), also functioning as an organist and on-call parish priest for smaller churches in the Odenwald
Odenwald
The Odenwald is a low mountain range in Hesse, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg in Germany.- Location :The Odenwald lies between the Upper Rhine Rift Valley with the Bergstraße and the Hessisches Ried in the west, the Main and the Bauland in the east, the Hanau-Seligenstadt Basin – a subbasin of...
region, although his principal position at the monastery was as culinary overseer (Küchenmeister). The majority of works written for Amorbach were lost in the dissolution of the monastery library by French forces in 1803. Following the secularization of Amorbach in 1803, Hoffstetter retired – almost completely deaf and blind – to Miltenberg-am-Main with his abbot, Benedikt Kuelsheimer. He died there 12 years later.
Hoffstetter's music has the virtue of being memorable, with clear-cut themes that stay in the memory and make it easy to follow the musical development. Besides his string quartets (which have had to be carefully researched for stylistic earmarks that distinguish them clearly from Haydn), Hoffstetter composed at least ten Masses
Mass (music)
The Mass, a form of sacred musical composition, is a choral composition that sets the invariable portions of the Eucharistic liturgy to music...
(several of which are preserved at the Archdiocesian Archives in Würzburg), as well as a number of smaller church works, including a lost Miserere on which he collaborated with Swedish-German composer Joseph Martin Kraus
Joseph Martin Kraus
Joseph Martin Kraus , was a composer in the classical era who was born in Miltenberg am Main, Germany. He moved to Sweden at age 21, and died at the age of 36 in Stockholm...
(1756–1792). In addition, there exist three viola concertos offered for sale in the Breitkopf
Breitkopf & Härtel
Breitkopf & Härtel is the world's oldest music publishing house. The firm was founded in 1719 in Leipzig by Bernhard Christoph Breitkopf . The catalogue currently contains over 1000 composers, 8000 works and 15,000 music editions or books on music. The name "Härtel" was added when Gottfried...
catalogue in 1785. They are arguably the most virtuosic vehicles for viola written in the eighteenth century, and, if genuine, would represent the apex of Hoffstetter's creative career. [Fine, M., "The Viola Concertos of Fr. Roman Hoffstetter, OSB", DMA diss., Memphis St. Univ., 1990]
Hoffstetter is best known for his friendship with Kraus, who was born in nearby Miltenberg-am-Main. Their friendship began as early as 1774 and continued through Kraus's appointment as court composer to Swedish king Gustav III
Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia....
, and on through to Kraus's death. Hoffstetter corresponded with both Kraus, and his early biographer, Swedish diplomat Fredrik Samuel Silverstolpe, who put him in touch with his idol, Haydn. Nine of these letters, written in 1800 to 1802, have been preserved in Silverstolpe's collection at Uppsala University
Uppsala University
Uppsala University is a research university in Uppsala, Sweden, and is the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. It consistently ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe in international rankings and is generally considered one of the most prestigious institutions of...
library. [Unverricht, H. "Die Beide Hoffstetter," 1968]
Literature
- Marshall J. Fine: The viola concertos of Fr. Roman Hofstetter, OSB. A new edition based on the manuscripts found at the University of Lund. UMI Publications, Ann Arbor, Mich., 1990
- Hubert Unverricht: Beiträge zur Mittelrheinischen Musikgeschichte. Bd 10. Die beiden Hoffstetter. Zwei Komponistenporträts mit Werkverzeichnissen. Schott, Mainz 1968, ISBN 3795713102
- L. Somfai: Zur Echtheitsfrage des Haydnschen op. 3. Haydn-Jahrbuch III, 1965.