Franz Xaver Woschitka

Franz Xaver Woschitka, Austrian cellist and composer, was born in Vienna in 1728 and died in Munich on 5 December 1796. He was the son of the bassoonist Tobias Woschitka and came from a family of musicians at the Habsburg court.

Between 1750 and 1765 he was a chamber virtuoso at the court of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, where one of his pupils was C. A. F. Westenholz. From 1765 he settled in Munich as a chamber virtuoso, although he was not a member of the court orchestra. There he composed numerous works for the viola da gamba, the favourite instrument of Elector Maximilian III Joseph, which earned him considerable influence. According to some accounts, he arranged the meeting between W. A. Mozart and the Elector on 30 September 1777. After the sovereign's death, his services were initially considered dispensable, although from 1779 he was listed among the cellists of the orchestra. In 1787 he sent Duke Frederick Francis I six cello concertos, six quartets, six piano trios and an oboe concerto by his son.

His reputation during his lifetime was high, but much of his output has been lost. A 'Solo' for cello and bass, a Cello Concerto in D major and six string quartets survive, probably the set sent in 1787. Most of these follow the galant three-movement pattern, with a final rondo.