The Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, the oldest orchestra in Finland, has received several awards, including the International Classical Music Award for Best Collection in 2019.
Composition History
Beethoven was commissioned to write two cantatas, one to mourn the death of Emperor Joseph II and another to celebrate the accession of Emperor Leopold II, when he was only 19 years old.
Historical Context
Emperor Joseph II, whose death is mourned in one of the cantatas, was the Holy Roman Emperor and co-regent with his mother, Maria Theresa, until her death in 1780.
Performer Biography
Leif Segerstam, the conductor, is recognized internationally as a conductor, composer, violinist, and pianist, and has developed a 'free-pulsative style' for his later symphonies, which are performed without a conductor.
Composition History
The cantatas were never performed during Beethoven's lifetime, despite Franz Wegeler's claim that one of them was shown to Haydn, who approved of it.
Compositional Technique
Beethoven's Cantata on the Death of Emperor Joseph II opens with a chorus of mourning in C minor, using the word 'tot' (dead) and pauses to emphasize the grief.
Composer Biography
In 1787, Beethoven was sent to Vienna for possible study with Mozart, but this plan was cut short when he had to return to Bonn due to his mother's final illness.
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