Joseph Labitzky was a Bohemian composer

Composer

A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...

, violin

Violin

The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....

ist, and conductor

Conducting

Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...

. He studied with Karl Veit in his youth. Labitzky joined a traveling orchestra at age 14, and in 1820 took a position in an orchestra in Marienbad. In 1823-24 he was in Munich

Munich

Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...

, and following this he toured Germany as a concert violinist. He put together his own orchestra in 1825, touring Vienna and Warsaw. He took a conducting position in Karlsbad

Karlovy Vary

Karlovy Vary is a spa city situated in western Bohemia, Czech Republic, on the confluence of the rivers Ohře and Teplá, approximately west of Prague . It is named after King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV, who founded the city in 1370...

 in 1835, and his dance pieces became quite popular throughout Europe, including England. He was involved in "Cocks vs Purday", a British court case concerning copyright. He was the father of August Labitzky

August Labitzky

August Labitzky was a Czech composer and kapellmeister, and the son of Joseph Labitzky. Although Labitzky was not as prolific a composer as his father, his Ouverture Characteristique has been occasionally recorded. Written in 1858, it depicts Emperor Charles IV while out hunting...

. Labitzky composed 300 dance pieces.

He was overshadowed by Johann Strauss

Johann Strauss II

Johann Strauss II , also known as Johann Baptist Strauss or Johann Strauss, Jr., the Younger, or the Son , was an Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas. He composed over 500 waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, and other types of dance music, as well as several operettas...

later in his life.

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