Hofmann was the son of a highly educated civil servant, and at the age of seven became a chorister in the chapel of the Empress Elisabeth Christine, where his choral director and teacher was very likely František Tůma.
He was also a student later on of Georg Christoph Wagenseil and Giuseppe Trani (violin). His studies included at various points violin, harpsichord and composition.
In 1758 Hofmann secured what may have been his first appointment, as "musicus" at St. Michael's. He is known to have become choral director at St. Peter's Church in 1764 and, in 1766, kapellmeister. In 1769 he became a teacher to the royal family.
The position of Kapellmeister at the Cathedral of St. Stephan, a post he acquired in 1772, was among his next responsibilities. At this time he declined the directorship of the Imperial Chapel, but did apply there two years later in 1774, failing in his application. (Giuseppe Bonno became director of the Imperial Chapel instead, which had become open upon the death of Florian Leopold Gassmann.)
On 9 May 1791, at his own request, Mozart was appointed assistant-Kapellmeister to Hofmann, an unpaid position. At the time Hofmann was ill and Mozart anticipated becoming Kapellmeister upon Hofmann's death. However, Hofmann survived Mozart and kept his post as Cathedral Kapellmeister until he died.[1]
The following list was drawn up by George Cook Kimball in his Ph.D. thesis.[2]
Kimball A 1 \ Symphony in A major
Kimball A 2 \ Symphony in A major
Kimball A 3 \ Symphony in A major
Kimball A 4 \ Symphony in A major
Kimball A 5 \ Symphony in A major
Kimball A 6 \ Symphony in A major
Kimball A 7 \ Symphony in A major (lost)
Kimball A 8 \ Symphony in A major
Kimball A 9 \ Symphony in A major (lost)
Kimball B 1 \ Symphony in B flat major
Kimball B 2 \ Symphony in B flat major
Kimball B 3 \ Symphony in B flat major
Kimball B 4 \ Sinfonia pastorella in B flat major
Kimball B 5 \ Symphony in B flat major
Kimball B 6 \ Symphony in B flat major
Kimball B 7 \ Symphony in B flat major (lost)
Kimball B 8 \ Symphony in B flat major (lost)
Kimball C 1 \ Symphony in C major
Kimball C 2 \ Symphony in C major
Kimball C 3 \ Symphony in C major (lost)
Kimball C 4 \ Symphony in C major
Kimball C 5 \ Symphony in C major
Kimball C 6 \ Symphony in C major
Kimball C 7 \ Symphony in C major
Kimball C 8 \ Symphony in C major (lost)
Kimball C 9 \ Symphony in C major (lost)
Kimball C10 \ Symphony in C major
Kimball C11 \ Symphony in C major
Kimball C12 \ Sinfonia pastorella in C major
Kimball C13 \ Symphony in C major
Kimball C14 \ Symphony in C major
Kimball C15 \ Symphony in C major
Kimball C16 \ Symphony in C major (lost)
Kimball C17 \ Symphony in C major (lost)
Kimball D 1 \ Sinfonia pastorella in D major
Kimball d 1 \ Symphony in D minor (lost)
Kimball D 2 \ Symphony in D major
Kimball D 3 \ Symphony in D major
Kimball D 4 \ Symphony in D major
Kimball D 5 \ Symphony in D major
Kimball D 6 \ Symphony in D major
Kimball D 7 \ Symphony in D major
Kimball D 8 \ Symphony in D major
Kimball D 9 \ Symphony in D major
Kimball D10 \ Symphony in D major
Kimball Es 1 \ Symphony in E flat major
Kimball Es 2 \ Symphony in E flat major
Kimball Es 3 \ Symphony in E flat major
Kimball Es 4 \ Symphony in E flat major
Kimball Es 5 \ Symphony in E flat major
Kimball Es 6 \ Symphony in E flat major
Kimball Es 7 \ Symphony in E flat major (lost)
Kimball Es 8 \ Symphony in E flat major
Kimball F 1 \ Symphony in F major (lost)
Kimball F 2 \ Symphony in F major (lost)
Kimball F 3 \ Symphony in F major
Kimball F 4 \ Symphony in F major
Kimball F 5 \ Symphony in F major
Kimball F 5 \ Symphony in F major
Kimball F 7 \ Symphony in F major
Kimball F 8 \ Symphony in F major
Kimball G 1 \ Symphony in G major (lost)
Kimball G 2 \ Symphony in G major
Kimball G 3 \ Symphony in G major
Kimball G 4 \ Sinfonia pastorella in G major
Kimball G 5 \ Symphony in G major
The following list was drawn up by Allan Badley in his Ph.D. thesis.[3]
Badley I:A 1 \ Harpsichord Concerto in A major
Badley I:B 1 \ Harpsichord Concerto in B flat major
Badley I:C 1 \ Harpsichord Concerto in C major
Badley I:C 2 \ Harpsichord Concerto in C major
Badley I:C 3 \ Harpsichord Concerto in C major
Badley I:C 4 \ Harpsichord Concerto in C major
Badley I:C 5 \ Harpsichord Concerto in C major
Badley I:C 6 \ Harpsichord Concerto in C major
Badley I:C 7 \ Harpsichord Concerto in C major
Badley I:C 8 \ Harpsichord Concerto in C major
Badley I:C 9 \ Harpsichord Concerto in C major
Badley I:C10 \ Harpsichord Concerto in C major
Badley I:C11 \ Harpsichord Concerto in C major
Badley I:C12 \ Harpsichord Concerto in C major
Badley I:C13 \ Harpsichord Concerto in C major
Badley I:C14 \ Harpsichord Concerto in C major
Badley I:C15 \ Harpsichord Concerto in C major (lost)
Badley I:C16 \ Harpsichord Concerto in C major (lost)
Badley I:D 1 \ Harpsichord Concerto in D major
Badley I:D 2 \ Harpsichord Concerto in D major
Badley I:F 1 \ Harpsichord Concerto in F major
Badley I:F 2 \ Harpsichord Concerto in F major
Badley I:F 3 \ Harpsichord Concerto in F major
Badley I:F 4 \ Harpsichord Concerto in F major
Badley I:F 5 \ Harpsichord Concerto in F major
Badley I:F 6 \ Harpsichord Concerto in F major
Badley II:A1 \ Flute Concerto in A major
Badley II:A2 \ Flute Concerto in A major
Badley II:D1 \ Flute Concerto in D major (previously wrongly attributed to Joseph Haydn Hob. VIIf:1) [4]
Badley II:D2 \ Flute Concerto in D major
Badley II:D3 \ Flute Concerto in D major
Badley II:D4 \ Flute Concerto in D major
Badley II:D5 \ Flute Concerto in D major
Badley II:D6 \ Flute Concerto in D major
Badley II:e1 \ Flute Concerto in E minor
Badley II:G1 \ Flute Concerto in G major
Badley II:G2 \ Flute Concerto in G major
Badley II:G3 \ Flute Concerto in G major
Badley II:G4 \ Flute Concerto in G major
Badley III:C1 \ Oboe Concerto in C major
Badley III:C2 \ Oboe Concerto in C major
Badley III:C3 \ Oboe Concerto in C major
Badley III:d1 \ Oboe Concerto in D minor
Badley III:F1 \ Oboe Concerto in F major
Badley III:G1 \ Oboe Concerto in G major
Badley IV:C1 \ Bassoon Concerto in C major
Badley V:C1 \ Cello Concerto in C major
Badley V:C2 \ Cello Concerto in C major
Badley V:C3 \ Cello Concerto in C major
Badley V:C4 \ Cello Concerto in C major (lost)
Badley V:D1 \ Cello Concerto in D major
Badley V:D2 \ Cello Concerto in D major
Badley V:D3 \ Cello Concerto in D major
Badley V:D4 \ Cello Concerto in D major (lost)
Badley VI:A1 \ Violin Concerto in A major
Badley VI:A2 \ Violin Concerto in A major
Badley VI:B1 \ Violin Concerto in B flat major
Badley VI:B2 \ Violin Concerto in B flat major
Badley VI:B3 \ Violin Concerto in B flat major (lost)
Badley VI:C1 \ Violin Concerto in C major
Badley VI:C2 \ Violin Concerto in C major (lost)
Badley VI:D1 \ Violin Concerto in D major
Badley VI:G1 \ Violin Concerto in G major (lost)
Badley VII:C1 \ Concerto for oboe & harpsichord in C major
Badley VII:C2 \ Concerto for 2 harpsichords in C major
Badley VII:F1 \ Concerto for oboe & harpsichord in F major
Badley VII:G1 \ Concerto for violin & cello in G major
Badley VII:G2 \ Concerto for flute & harpsichord in G major
Badley VIII:A1 \ Concertino for violin, viola & cello in A major
Badley VIII:A2 \ Concertino for harpsichord, flute, violin & cello in A major
Badley VIII:B1 \ Concertino for 2 violins, viola & cello in B flat major
Badley VIII:C1 \ Concertino for cello & 2 oboes in C major
Badley VIII:C2 \ Concertino for violin, viola & cello in C major
Badley VIII:C3 \ Concertino for harpsichord in C major
Badley VIII:C4 \ Concertino for 2 oboes in C major
Badley VIII:C5 \ Concertino for viola & cello in C major (lost)
Badley VIII:C6 \ Divertimento for harpsichord in C major
Badley VIII:D1 \ Concertino for 2 violins, viola & cello in D major
Badley VIII:D2 \ Cassatio in D major
Badley VIII:D3 \ Concertino for 2 flutes in D major
Badley VIII:D4 \ Concertino for viola & cello in D major (lost)
Badley VIII:D5 \ Concertino for violin & cello in D major (lost)
Badley VIII:E1 \ Concertino for violin & cello in E major
Badley VIII:Es1 \ Concertino for violin, viola & cello in E flat major
Badley VIII:Es2 \ Concertino for 2 violas & cello in E flat major
Badley VIII:F1 \ Concertino for 2 violins, viola & cello in F major
Badley VIII:F2 \ Concertino for harpsichord in F major
Badley VIII:F3 \ Concertino for violin, viola & cello in F major
Badley VIII:G1 \ Concertino for harpsichord in G major
Badley VIII:G2 \ Concertino for 2 violins, viola & cello in G major
Amass a cappella (republished with masses by Wagenseil and Georg Reutter by A-R Editions in 2004)
Duos and sonatas for various instruments, including a divertimento for flute and bassoon, one for 2 violins with continuo, one for two violas with bass. His opus 1 is a set of sonatas a tre for viola and violoncello with cello accompaniment.
Choral music
Motet "Altra nocte"
"Pastor bone : chorus pastoralis" for mixed choir, concertante organ, two violins and bass (2 oboes, 2 trumpets and drums probably added later).
Missa "Sancti Aloysii" in D major
Requiem in C minor
(Recent recordings of his music include recordings of many of the concertos, some of the symphonies including five on Naxos Records, etc., including a CD from 2000 of Artaria discoveries and others of cello flute, violin and oboe concertos.)
His compositions have been catalogued by Allan Badley.
Eisen, Cliff. Kimball, George Cook. and Monk, Dennis C. Three symphonies / Franz Asplmayr ; edited by Dennis C. Monk. Four symphonies, them. index D7, E♭1, D1, D2 / Leopold Hofmann ; edited by G. Cook Kimball. Three symphonies, them. index 23, 18, 25 / Wenzel Pichl ; introduction by Richard J. Agee ; thematic index compiled by Anita Zakin. Salzburg. Part 1. The Symphony in Salzburg: Volume 1. New York: Garland, 1984. ISBN0-8240-3854-1.
Kreiner, Viktor. Leopold Hofmann als Sinfoniker (1738–1793). Thesis (doctoral) Universität Wien, 1958.
Umble, Kathryn Thomas. A transcription and stylistic analysis of Leopold Hoffmann's Flute Concerto in G Thesis (Master of Music [Thesis # 4539]) Bowling Green State University, May 1985.
Badley, Allan: Leopold Hofmann (1738-1793). Sechs Konzerte für Tasteninstrument (Denkmäler der Tonkunst in Österreich, Band 161). Wien, Hollitzer, 2019 ISBN978-3-99012-538-0 (in german and english language).
