František Xaver Pokorný

František Xaver Pokorný (known also as Franz Xaver Pokorny) was born on December 20, 1729 in Městec Králové (Nymburk region in Central Bohemia).

As a young man, he left for Regensburg in Bavaria where he learnt to play the violin and studied composition with Joseph Riepel. Since 1750, he was a violinist in the court orchestra of the count Philipp Karel Oettingen-Wallerstein in Wallerstein in Swabia (this town is part of Bavaria these days). The orchestra was one of the best ones in German territory. Czech horn players Josef Nagel and Franz Zvěřina, double bass player Antonín (Antonio) Rosetti, oboe player Josef Fiala, cellist Josef Rejcha and his nephew and flutist Antonín Rejcha played in this orchestra. Pokorný was able to go to study in Mannheim. In 1753–1754 he studied with Jan Václav Stamic, the founder of Mannheim school of composers.

Pokorný stood out as a violinist, cembalist, conductor and composer. He longed for being appointed the music director in Wallerstein but when the position was finally available in 1766, he did not get it. For that reason he left and returned to Regensburg where he joined the court orchestra of the count Thurn-Taxis. He was engaged as “Violinist-Direktor“ there and he became a prominent court musician.

Titles for sale:
Concerto B-flat major for two clarinets and orchestra / piano score