Release Date: 01 October 2000
Label: Naxos / Naxos Classics
Packaging Type: Jewel Case
No of Units: 1
Barcode: 636943413821
Genres: Classical
Composer/Series: VANHAL
Description
Johann BaptistVaňhal (1739-1813) Symphonies, Vol. 2Johann Baptist Vaňhal was one of the mostpopular Viennese composers during his lifetime. History however, has beenunkind to his reputation, the result of irresponsible statements that were madeby imaginative authors who were not acquainted with him or his circumstances.The general impression is that he was melancholy and depressed when, in truth,he appears to have been basically happy and personable. Wild claims have alsobeen made that early in his career he was so overcome by madness caused byreligious fervour that he burned some of his music. After that, the story goes,the quality of compositions deteriorated so much that he never realised thepromise of his early works. The lie to this assertion is given by the splendidsymphonies included here, which range from the Symphony in B fiat major(Bryan Bb3), which probably dates from the period 1762-64, through to theSymphony in G major (Bryan G11), one of a number of brilliantsymphonies Vaňhal composed in themid-1770s. His vitality and inventiveness are evident in all of them.One part of Vaňhal's reputation is,however, true. He was the first major composer of the time who was strongenough to renounce the offer of a 'good' - and terribly-demanding position -and to live comfortably until he died in Vienna at the age of 74. His successwas possible because of his other personal characteristics. He was humble anddeeply religious - not ambitious for fame, high position, or fortune. He wasalso shrewd, hard-working and sensitive to changing economic and socialconditions. As a result he decided to cease composing symphonies and chambermusic when the market in Vienna was drying up about the year 1780, and began toexplore other possibilities. The results were spectacular. He composed, forexample, more than 247 works (mostly unpublished), large and small, for the church. He alsowrote a huge number of pieces all of which centred around the keyboard. Hiscompositions included serious works, such as the keyboard Capriccios, andsongs and cantatas for voice with keyboard accompaniment. He also publishedmany pieces for instruction and entertainment which became very popularincluding imaginative pieces with descriptive titles such as The Battle ofTrafalgar. In all he produced more than 1300 compositions in a wide varietyof genres. To the present, only the symphonies and string quartets have beensufficiently studied to ascertain his complete contribution.The present three symphonies provide a good introduction to Vaňhal's symphonic style and illustrate why he wasconsidered such an important exponent of the genre.One of Vaňhal' s early symphonies, Symphonyin B flat major (Bryan Bb3) was probably composed between1762 and 1764. It was well known in its time; there are five contemporarycatalogue references to the work; a dozen manuscript copies are preserved in anequal number of archives; and four prints of it were issued by publishers,including
Tracklisting
Dariia Lytvishko
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra; Marin Alsop
Alice Di Piazza; Basel Sinfonietta; NDR Bigband; Titus Engel
Anna Alas i Jove; Miquel Villalba
David Childs; Black Dyke Band; Nicholas Childs
Yaqi Yang; Margarita Parsamyan; Robynne Redmon; Minghao Liu; Frank Ragsdale; Kim Josephson; Kevin S
Vilmos Csikos; Olivier Lechardeur; Manon Lamaison
Tomas Cotik; Martingale Ensemble; Ken Selden
