Dotzauer’s Quartet in F Major, Op.37 for Oboe and strings was inspired by his Dresden colleague Karl Kummer, whom Richard Wagner called the greatest Oboist he had ever heard. It was composed in 1814, and while such works from this era were nothing more than vehicles for the wind instrumentalist, this is not the case here. And while the oboe takes the part normally taken by the first violin in a string quartet, it is as primus inter pares, and not as a soloist with three humble accompanists. Each instrument is given a role to play. The first movement is a captivating Allegro full of elegant and fetching melodies. A bucolic Andante follows. The third movement, Menuetto, allegro, is entirely given over to the three strings and the oboe; surprisingly remains silent throughout, however, it returns to lead the others in the lovely ländler-like trio section. The finale is an upbeat Rondo.
Encouraged by his father to pursue a musical career, Johann Justus Friedrich Dotzauer (1783-1860) studied the piano and violin before eventually choosing the cello as his main instrument. His talent was clear to all early on, and he began giving concerts by the time he was fifteen. A few years later, he was serving as a cellist in the court orchestra of Meiningen. Eventually, he was able to obtain the prestigious position of solo cellist in the Royal Orchestra at Dresden. His playing dazzled all who heard it, and his skills as a teacher resulted in what became known as the "Dresden school" of cello performance. He concertized to much acclaim throughout Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and France, continuing to perform in public right up until his retirement in 1850. Many of his students became famous cellists in their own right and include such names as Friedrich Grützmacher, Bernhard Cossmann, and Julius Goltermann.