Abel: Symphonies, Opp. 1 & 4

Featuring

Michael Alexander Willens
Kölner Akademie
Carl Friedrich Abel

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Composition History

In the mid-18th century, the terms 'symphony' and 'overture' were synonymous, with Abel's orchestral works being called 'Symphonies' in continental Europe and 'Overtures' in London.

Composer Biography

Carl Friedrich Abel, the composer, was a pupil of Johann Sebastian Bach in Leipzig and later a friend and business partner of Bach's youngest son, Johann Christian Bach, in London.

Compositional Technique

The oboes in Abel's symphonies are often tied to the violins, doubling them or providing sustaining passages, while the horns enrich middle parts and occasionally provide a pedal.

Composer Biography

Carl Friedrich Abel became a chamber musician to Queen Charlotte, the German consort of King George III, after she arrived in England in 1761.

Compositional Technique

Abel's symphonies inhabit an intriguing transitional state between the Baroque style of composers like Handel and J.S. Bach, and the Classical style of J.C. Bach and Mozart.

Interpretation

The Kölner Akademie, the ensemble on this recording, performs music from the 17th to 21st centuries on period instruments and aims to adhere closely to composers' intentions, including historical seating plans and proper instrumentation.

Performer Biography

Michael Alexander Willens, the artistic director of the Kölner Akademie, studied at the Juilliard School and with Leonard Bernstein, and is known for his broad knowledge of various performance practice styles.