Johann Wilhelm CRAMER, the eminent violinist out of the Mannheim school, was born on 02 Jun 1746 in Mannheim, as son of the flutist and member of the Hof Kapelle Johann Jacob CRAMER and his wife Catharina Sybilla GENTES. He married Angelika CANERWAS about 1770 in Mannheim.
From 1757-1772 he was violinist in the Hofkapelle in Mannheim. Johann Christian Bach invited him to London and Cramer with his wife and two sons moved from Mannheim, the great court on the Rhine, to London in 1773, quickly stepping into the middle of musical life.
In London he conducted cncerts at the royal court. He was the "leader" of the orchestra of the Italian opera. He conducted concerts for old music and the yearly concert of the Musical Fund, later the Royal Society of Musicians. He died on 05 Okt 1799 in London.
His son was Johann Baptist CRAMER the pianist and composer was born on 24 Feb 1771 in Mannheim. He married on 12 Aug 1827 in Loerrach, Baden, Germany Anna Catharine LUDI. He died on 16 April 1858 at his home in Kensington, England and was buried at Brompton Cemetery. He was thee years old when he came with his parents to England. He was a pupil of M. Clementi, J. S. Schröter and C. F. Abel. Only 13 years old he had his first public performance with Clementi.
In 1778 he did his first foreign tour in France and Germany, he returned to England in 1791. After this first tour to Europe he became in England one of the most popular pianists. He again went on a tour in Europe and returned to England in 1800. Johann Baptist who had been Clementis star pupil was now enjoying the fruits of his labour as a composer, pianist and teacher. One of the first works published by Chappell was the 84 "Studies for the pianoforte". This collection has long been considered a cornerstone of pianistic technique. In 1824 Johann Baptist set up the his own Music Publishing Company, at 139 New Bond Street, called "J.B. Cramer & Company", his partners where Robert Addison and Thomas Frederick Beale. The company did more in publishing at first but started the production of pianos later. He wrote 105 piano sonatas, which are characterised by a classicistic balance. In 1816 he published with Schlesinger 3 Sonatas in Es/D/Es, which can stress more than only historical interest. They carry the Opus number 30 on the original expenditure. In the new edition the encyclopaedia "Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart," they are marked it by Opus number 25. In 1829 Cramer officially retired from public performances and gave a farewell concert in 1835. From 1832 to 1845 he lived in Paris but afterwards he finally went back to London.
The second son Franz Anton Dorotheus CRAMER was born on 13 May 1772 in Schwetzingen. He was as his father a briliant violinist and conductor. He died 1848 in London, England.