Composer, Violinist. Like many Classical-era composers working in the shadow of Beethoven, he was forgotten soon after his death only to be revived in the late 20th Century. Fesca was born in Magdeburg, Germany. His parents were musicians and he himself was a prodigy, making his debut as a violinist at age 11. His virtuosity was such that in 1805 (when he was 16) he was named concertmaster of the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig. He is said to have written several violin concertos but only one survives in manuscript, the Concerto in E minor (c. 1805); this may have been the work that brought him fame when he performed it with the Gewandhaus. Fesca went on to serve as concertmaster to the Duke of Oldenburg (1806 to 1808), solo violinist for King Jerome Bonaparte of Westphalia at Cassel (1808 to 1814), and concertmaster of the Ducal Court Orchestra at Karlsruhe (1815 until his death). From 1815 his compositions were issued by one of Vienna's top publishing houses. For much of his adult life Fesca suffered from tuberculosis, which prevented him from touring as a soloist or composing a great deal (though he managed to produce some 50 opuses). He died from the disease at 37. His best known sacred work, a choral setting of Psalm 130 ("De Profundis", c. 1825), was probably written with himself in mind; it was performed at his funeral. There are hints of drama and pathos in his music but overall he adhered to a Mozartian classicism that became outmoded in his own time. His compositions include the Symphony No. 1 in E flat major (c.1812), Symphony No. 2 in D major (c. 1813), and Symphony No. 3 in D major (1816), the operas "Cantemire" (1820) and "Omar und Leila" (1824), two concert overtures, 21 string quartets, four flute quartets, and four string quintets. Renewed interest in Fesca was stimulated in the 1990s by musicians seeking to expand the mainstream classical repertory. Since then the symphonies, overtures, and much of his chamber music has been recorded. His son Alexander Fesca also won notoriety as a composer - and also died young from consumption.