19/02/1763, Budweis, Bohemia - 19/03/1850, Vienna, Austria
Czech composer. He began his musical studies with his father, choir director at the Budějovice Cathedral (then Budweis), before moving to Prague to study law. He then became secretary to Count Franz von Fünfkirchen in Brünn (now Brno) for whom he participated in the orchestra's concerts. He composed his first symphonies and sent them to a publisher. In 1785, he joined Vienne2, where he became friends with Mozart who encouraged him to persevere in composition. From 1786 to 1793, he traveled throughout Europe. He met Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in Rome, Ignace Pleyel and Joseph Haydn in London2 during the Salomon concerts in 1791. In Paris, he discovers that one of his symphonies has been attributed to Haydn2, whose fame allows publishers to easily sell the works. He then returned to Bohemia in 1793. In 1804, he was appointed to the prestigious position of second kapellmeister of the Vienna Court Theater2. He meets Beethoven, whose friend he becomes.
