I made significant discoveries from the very interessant article by Lorenz, « A Little Leitgeb Research » (2013). In this paper he sheds light on the connections between the families of Leutgeb, Starzer and Ferber :
« On 28 October 1771 Rosina Starzer served as godmother to Leitgeb's daughter Rosina.
Not only was Rosina Starzer the sister of the composer Joseph Starzer (1728-1787), she
was also the daughter of the horn player Thomas Starzer (b. 14 November 1699 in Niederaltaich
[Niederaltaich, Tom. 1, 220], d. 17 April 1769, Vienna), who may well have been Leitgeb's teacher.
Rosina Starzer herself was the goddaughter of Rosina Ferber (A-Wd, Tom. 69, fol. 224v),
the wife of the horn maker Adam Ferber (1700-1749)1. »
Hence, Leutgeb was bounded to the viennese horn maker Ferber, who had a quite short production from 1745 to 1749 when he died. But the name Starzer caught my attention ; I remembered seeing this name when researching viennese horn makers : Carl Adam Starzer (1733 - 1789), who manufactured horns from 1767 to 1789. Was he part of the same family ? I investigated this lead and found my answer in both the New Langwill Index2 and the Oesterreichisches Musiklexikon Online3 : Carl Starzer was indeed son of Thomas, and brother of Joseph and Rosina. The information is later confirmed by Helene Starzer in her paper Herkunft und jugendzeit des Komponisten Joseph Starzer4.
It is indeed a fact that Leutgeb had a family bond with the maker Starzer ; not only was this connection closer than the one with Ferber, but Starzer had a greater importance in the world of horn-making. In his Staatsverfassung der Oesterreichischen Monarchie im Grundrisse5, Joseph Freiherr von Lichtenstern makes this statement :
" The viennese trumpets and horn are especially famous, essentially those made by the deceased
Starzer, and the surviving Kerner6."
Lichtenstern seems to place Starzer brass instruments on the same level of quality than Kerner’s, which is quite meaningful since Jean-Benjamin Laborde, in his Essai sur la musique ancienne et moderne (1780), describes the kerner horns as follow :
« The horns from Vienna in Austria, made by Mr. Kerner, are the best for concerts7. »
Also, there is evidence that the orchestra of the court of Esterházy played on horns made by Kerner : Richard Maunder’s article displays Kerner’s receipts for repairs and sales to the court from 1768 to 17828.
It is then of course relevant to think that Leutgeb may have played a Kerner since those instruments were quite famous ; but his relationship with the Starzer's cannot be ignored. In fact, there are more clues of their close bond. For instance, Joseph Leutgeb and Joseph Starzer were both members of the Tonkünstler Societät, a benevolent society for musicians in Vienna which existed from the mid-XVIIIth century to the mid-XXth century. J. Starzer actually participated to the creation of the society in 17719, and Leutgeb became a member in 178710. Not to mention the possibilty that Jospeh Starzer’s father, Thomas, who was a horn player, may have been Leutgeb’s teacher according to Florenz11.
Furthermore, Thomas Starzer seems to have worked closely with Johann Leichambschneider, first of his name, famous horn manufacturer of the first half of the XVIIIth century. Helene Starzer even writes that Leichambschneider housed the Starzer family in June 173212. Besides, Thomas Starzer bought two Leichambschneider horns in C from Franz in 1754, and his son Carl played professionally side by side with him13. The influence of Leichambschneider horns on Carl Starzer is then certain ; and this influence may have been the same on Thomas’ hypothetical student Leutgeb.
Not only was Johann Leichambschneider good friend with Thomas Starzer, he was also the godfather of Joseph and Carl14 ! The same Carl Starzer who, later in 1767, took over the business of Franz Leichambschneider, son of Johann15…
Finally, it is interesting to add here that Anton Kerner Sr. took over the business of Ferber in 1751 after he probably married his widow16, and that his son Ignaz Kerner took over the business of Starzer in 179017.
It is incredible to see how connected these important people were. All those relationships are summed up in the following table.
There is no doubt that, if Leutgeb was connected to one or several horn makers, there is a greater chance he might have played one of their instruments. This if of course only a theory, but which shall absolutely not be neglected.
We may add that it was not uncommon for makers to gift instruments to players for various reasons at the time, a scenario that is plausible between Leutgeb and Starzer. Furthermore, orchestra musicians would often use instruments that belonged to a patron, for instance the orchestra of Esterhazy who’s business with Kerner is documented as early as 1768. Leutgeb played in Esterhazy in 1763 : is it plausible that he played the orchestra’s Kerner horns ?