A Neglected Master

“The music of [Paul] Wranitzky was in fashion when it was new because of his natural melodies and brilliant style. He treats the orchestra well, especially in symphonies. I recall that, in my youth, his works held up very well in comparison with those of Haydn. Their premature abandonment of today has been for me a source of astonishment.”

- Belgian violinist and musicologist François Joseph Fétis (1784–1871)

In his day, Paul Wranitzky (1756-1808) was one of the most highly regarded musicians in Europe. Bohemian by birth, the composer moved to Vienna as many aspiring musicians did, and quickly achieved status as a remarkable and versatile composer of operas, chamber music, and symphonies.

Once a highly respected and influential musician, Wranitzky is today all but forgotten - overshadowed by his better known contemporaries and friends - Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven.

The musical legacy of Wranitzky is large, yet surprisingly unknown. With 2006 being the composer's 250th anniversary, and 2008 the bicentennial of his death, it is the purpose of this web site to study and promulgate the music of this once famed composer.

This website aims to be a reliable and free source for performing editions of the music of Wranitzky. The scores and parts of many of his symphonic and chamber works will be made available to anyone who is interested in their performance or study. The works will be added to the database as they become available.