Wolfgang Joseph Lanz (often historically referred to as Giuseppe Lanz) was an Austrian composer, music theorist, violinist, and guitar teacher of the Biedermeier era. He was born on January 20, 1797, in Michaelnbach (Upper Austria) and died on September 9, 1873, in Vienna.
Lanz received his initial musical training from his father. Starting in 1815, he served as a violinist and music director at St. Peter’s Abbey in Salzburg. In September 1824, he moved to Vienna, where he permanently established himself as a music and instrumental instructor. In Vienna, he maintained close ties with prominent musicians; most notably, on November 4, 1828, he attended a legendary, final music theory lesson alongside Franz Schubert under the famous counterpoint master Simon Sechter. Alongside around 45 printed compositions (including sacred music, songs, and piano works), Lanz achieved recognition in academic circles for his theoretical writings on the so-called “Third Sound” (Dritter Klang).
His Guitar Compositions
Although Lanz was a classical all-around musician of the Viennese School, he left the guitar world a small but qualitatively exquisite legacy. His guitar works are characterized by the typical, charming Viennese Biedermeier style:
- “2 Rondinos for Solo Guitar”, Op. 9: Published in Vienna by the prestigious house Sauer & Leidesdorf. The work (particularly the Rondino No. 1 in D major) combines lyrical, almost Schubertian melodies with a clear, classical structure.
- Preservation in the Boije Collection: An original print of the Due rondini (Op. 9) is preserved in the famous Swedish Boije Collection (Musik- och Teaterbiblioteket, Stockholm) as an important historical document of European classical guitar music.
- Modern Rediscovery: His pieces experienced a renaissance in the late 20th century when they were re-edited by musicians like Martin Rennert in the series “Die Gitarre in der Klassik”.
Significance to the Guitar
- The Viennese Guitar Milieu: In the early 19th century, Vienna was the undisputed epicenter of the guitar world due to virtuosos like Mauro Giuliani. As a guitar teacher and composer, Lanz made valuable contributions to the flourishing culture of domestic middle-class music-making of this era.
- Musical Bridge to Schubert: His works reflect the intimate character of Viennese guitar style contemporary to Schubert. The Rondinos demonstrate that Lanz masterfully elevated the tonal and contrapuntal capabilities of the instrument to a level that went far beyond mere casual parlor music.
