after completing his studies at breslau (wrocław) and being a violinist at brünn (brno), in 1792 he became 2nd "kapellmeister" at the german opera in austrian-ruled lemberg (lviv/lwów). there in 1796 he married klara abt, who died a year later. in 1799, with wojciech bogusławski, he went to new east prussia (prussian-ruled poland) and became the principal conductor, first at the german theatre, then at the polish national theatre in warsaw.