Fesca, Friedrich (Ernst)

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Fesca, Friedrich (Ernst)

Fesca, Friedrich (Ernst), German violinist and composer, father of Alexander (Ernst) Fesca; b. Magdeburg, Feb. 15, 1789; d. Karlsruhe, May 24, 1826. He studied piano and at age 9 began violin lessons with Lohse, making his debut in Magdeburg at 11; he also studied with Zacharia (theory) and Pitterlin (composition). He then went to Leipzig as a pupil of A. Miiller (composition) and Matthai (violin), where he played in the Gewandhaus Orch. (1805–06). After playing in the orch. of the Duke of Oldenburg (1806–08), he served at the court of Jerome Buonaparte in Kassel (1808–13). In 1814 he became a member of the chapel orch. of the Grand Duke of Baden in Karlsruhe. In 1821 he was stricken with tuberculosis.

Works

DRAMATIC Opera : Cantemire (Karlsruhe, April 27, 1820); Omar und Leila (Karlsruhe, Feb. 26, 1824). OTHER: 3 syms.; overtures; Violin Concerto (1805); 16 string quartets; 4 string quintets; 4 flute quintets; Flute Quintet; choral works.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire