Christoph Graupner, the composer, was a gifted choirboy at the renowned Leipzig Thomasschule, where he was fostered by cantors Johann Schelle and Johann Kuhnau.
Compositional Technique
Graupner, like his colleague Telemann, creatively altered the forms of suites and concertos, with tonal diversity playing a special role in his compositions.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded from September 6-8, 2017, at Martinskirche, Müllheim, Germany, with Stephan Schellmann as the recording producer and editor.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Ernst Ludwig, the Landgrave of Darmstadt and Graupner's employer, was influenced by the court of Louis XIV in Versailles and desired music that combined French elegance, Italian virtuosity, and German experimentation.
Composition History
Graupner's extensive oeuvre, including over 1400 sacred cantatas, 85 overture suites, 44 concertos, and 112 symphonies, is almost entirely preserved at the Hessian State and University Library in Darmstadt.
Performer Biography
L'arpa festante, established in 1983, is one of Germany's most traditional ensembles for early music, focusing on rediscovering and performing unknown works from the 17th and 18th centuries and the classical period.
Composer Biography
Graupner, the composer, was offered the prestigious position of Thomaskantor in Leipzig in 1723, but his employer, Ernst Ludwig, refused to release him, leading to Johann Sebastian Bach taking the role instead.
You might also enjoy...
Frankel: Violin Concerto "In Memory of the Six Million", Viola Concerto & Serenata concertante
