Though small five- and six-part Harmonien were probably the most common wind ensembles until after 1800, the best-known example of Harmoniemusik is the wind octet. The octet of oboes, clarinets, horns and bassoons, sometimes with double bass or contrabassoon, was popularized by Emperor Joseph II during the 1780s. Joseph’s ‘kaiserlich und königlich Harmonie’ (k. k. Harmonie) was assembled in 1782 from wind players from his Burgtheater. Many similar groups subsequently appeared in the courts of other Viennese nobles such as Prince Alois von Liechtenstein, and further afield, particularly where Viennese influence was felt or Joseph’s favour courted.
The k. k. Harmonie was renowned throughout the empire. In 1783, a correspondent in the Magazine der Musik wrote:
I was particularly struck by news of an ensemble of virtuosos set up by the Kayser, consisting of wind instruments brought to a high degree of perfection, which is known in Vienna under the name of kaiserlich-Königlichen Harmonie. This society, consisting of 8 people, alone makes up a full concert; in which they perform things that are actually only intended for singing, which one of them, the virtuoso and composer Wehend, arranged for this Harmonie, such as: choirs, duets, trios, even arias from the best operas, with the oboe and the clarinet representing the voice. They also mentioned the names of these musicians. They are:
1) hr. Trimsee [Triebensee], 1st oboist.
2) hr Wehen [Went], 2nd oboist.
3) hr. Stader, 1st clarinettist.
4) hr. Stadtler [Stadler], 2nd clarinettist, brother of the first.
5) hr. Rupp, 1st horn player.
6) hr. Eisen, 2nd horn player. Should even surpass Mr. Rupp.
7) hr. Kauther [Kauzner[, 1st bassoonist.
8) hr. Druben [Trobney], 2nd bassoonist. Even better than the first.
Like many 18th century Harmonien, the k. k. Harmonie’s surviving repertoire consists mainly of opera arrangements, many of which were created by the second oboist Johann Wendt [Went, Wehend]. The best-known of these are his arrangements of Mozart’s operas, such as Le Nozze di Figaro. Wendt’s arrangement of Figaro takes some surprising liberties with Mozart’s original music – but given the k. k. Harmonie formed the wind section of the orchestra for the premiere of Figaro at the Burgtheater, these liberties have some authority. Wendt also wrote original partitas for Harmonie, charming multi-movement divertimenti that have all the elegance and operatic drama of Mozart’s own wind music. Wendt’s arrangements and partitas were performed regularly by the k. k. Harmonie in concerts in Vienna in the 1780s.
The opening of Johann Nepomuk Wendt’s Parthia in E flat, held in ther Berlin Staatsbibliothek Mus.ms. 23010/15
The k. k. Harmonie seems to have been a notably egalitarian ensemble. It appears to have had no designated director and though the Emperor initially suggested that the first players of each instrument should be paid a higher salary than the second players, the account books for the Burgtheater show that ultimately all the musicians received the same amount: 400fl for playing in the Harmonie on top of the 350fl for their service in the theatre itself.
The players also appear to have had a say in changes of personnel. When the ensemble’s second horn player Jakob Eisen died in 1796, the procedure for appointing his replacement involved the prospective candidates auditioning in front of not just the court Kapellmeister Antonio Salieri, but also all the remaining members of the Harmonie. A secret ballot was even used to select the preferred replacement: this meant that the choice was not Salieri’s alone, but based on the equal votes of each the musicians.
These details make the k. k. Harmonie sound almost like a modern ensemble, with player representation in important decisions and a sense of musical autonomy throughout the group that we don’t necessary associate with late-18th century court ensembles. As an ensemble it had a hugely important place in Viennese musical culture and its surviving repertoire deserves to be more widely played – not just Wendt’s Mozart arrangements, but his original works and versions of other contemporary operas as well. Perhaps this is a Boxwood & Brass project for the future...
You can hear Boxwood & Brass performing Wendt’s Parthie in E flat and his arrangement of the Figaro overture on OnJam.tv from 17-24 July 2021.