Concert at St. Pankratius (Schwetzingen) in cooperation with the Hof I Music I City Research Center

Franz Danzi is considered one of Schwetzingen’s most famous “sons.” According to the church records, he was baptized on June 15, 1763, at St. Pankratius. His father, Ludovico—a cello virtuoso from northern Italy who played in the electoral court orchestra—was highly regarded by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as an outstanding accompanist. It is possible that the six-year-old Mozart heard the cries of the infant Franz—who was only a few weeks old—during his stay in Schwetzingen in 1763. Franz would later become one of Mozart’s greatest admirers and incorporate numerous themes from his idol into his own compositions. Franz received his training from his father and later worked as a solo cellist in Munich and as court Kapellmeister in Stuttgart and Karlsruhe. His wind quintets are still performed today. Danzi died in Karlsruhe in 1826—this year marks the 200th anniversary of his death.