Antonio Rosetti (Rösler, Franz Anton)

Sonata D major

One of the most popular composers of our time. (...) one can hardly think of anything that is lighter, more luminous, or sweeter than honey than this man's music. That is how Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart characterized the composer Antonino Rosetti in 1784. Rosetti's works were extremely popular in the 18th century, but details of his early biography (until 1773) cannot be confirmed for sure. He was probably born around 1750 in Leitmeritz in northern Bohemia. Although he was supposed to embark upon a career as a clergyman, he decided to become a musician. In the summer of 1773, Rösler decided to leave his home country, at the same time italianizing his name to Antonino Rosetti. This Sonata for Harp and Violin is an arrangement of the Nocturne in D for flute, violin, viola, violoncello, and two horns by Johann André.