Johann Baptist Vanhal (1739-1813) was a prolific and successful Czech composer and teacher. He worked in Vienna from the 1780s and was one of the first independent musicians, not employed by the Emperor or one of the many influential aristocratic families. Vanhal composed over 700 works, including more than 100 string quartets, 73 symphonies, 95 sacred works, and a large number of instrumental and vocal works. He composed a number of pieces for double bass, including a Concerto, which is popular with bassists into the 21st-century and is at the heart of the solo repertoire.