Zelenka's Ouverture in F major is an example of the 'gemischter Styl,' a blend of Italian and French styles that Germans considered superior.
Composer Biography
Jan Dismas Zelenka, a Bohemian composer, is considered one of the most eccentric and complex musical personalities of the early 18th century, evident in his untidy, yet detailed and expressive, autograph manuscripts.
Performer Biography
Zefiro, the ensemble on this recording, was founded in 1989 by Alfredo Bernardini, Paolo Grazzi, and Alberto Grazzi, specializing in 18th-century repertoire on historical instruments.
Composition History
Antonio Vivaldi's Concerto in G minor RV 577, featured on this album, bears the autograph inscription 'per l'orchestra di Dresda' on its original manuscript, indicating it was specifically for the Dresden orchestra.
Historical Context
The album's concept, 'The Grand Tour in Venice,' refers to the 1716 visit of Frederick Augustus II, the young Prince Elector of Saxony, to Venice, a custom for future monarchs to gain worldly knowledge.
Composer Biography
Francesco Maria Veracini, a Florentine composer, suffered a severe depression in Dresden, leading him to jump from a window; he survived but remained lame for life.
Historical Context
Frederick Augustus II's father, Augustus I ('the Strong'), arranged these trips to protect his son from persecution due to his conversion to Catholicism, which later allowed him to become King of Poland.
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