A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Weiss, Franz

by Carl Ferdinand Pohl

WEISS, Franz, born in Silesia Jan. 18, 1778, died at Vienna Jan. 25, 1830, a distinguished viola-player, and long a member of the celebrated string-quartet maintained by Prince Rasoumowsky^[1] at his palace in Vienna. By these distinguished players most of Beethoven's quartets were studied for the first time, Schuppanzigh^[2] taking the first violin, the Prince himself the second, and Linke the cello. Weiss was also a composer of merit, and published, among other works, 'Variations brillantes' for violin and orchestra, op. 13 (Vienna, Artaria), quartet (Vienna, Haslinger, and Offenbach, Andre), and duets for flutes and for violins, and PF. sonatas. A symphony of his for flute, bassoon, and trumpet concertante with orchestra, was played with great success by the brothers Alois, Joseph, and Anton Khayll.

[ C. F. P. ]

1. See vol. iii. 77.
2. Ibid. 424.