Dussek: Complete Piano Sonatas Vol. 8 Sonatinas

Featuring

Ursula Dütschler
Jan Ladislav Dussek

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Performer Biography

Ursula Dütschler, the fortepianist on this album, is a first prizewinner of major competitions, including the International Harpsichord Competition in Paris and the Erwin Bodky prize in Boston.

Historical Context

At the end of the eighteenth century, London was the world's largest city, and its middle class, enriched by the Industrial Revolution, fostered a vibrant musical society.

Instruments

Square pianos, due to their affordability and expressive power, became so popular that they outnumbered grand pianos until at least 1800.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Dussek, like other composers of his time, wrote works in an easier style for the large market of amateur musicians, referring to them as 'the best works I have ever written in the Selling Way.'

Critical Reception

In 1802, an anonymous critic for the Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung, a leading European music magazine, named Clementi, Dussek, and Cramer as the 'peak of virtuosity' for the pianoforte.

Historical Context

In the late 18th century, music was a major attraction in London, with public concert series extensively advertised and music performed passionately in middle-class salons.

Composer Biography

Johann Ladislaus Dussek, a Bohemian composer, was part of 'The London Pianoforte School,' a group of influential pianist-composers, many of whom were not English.