The Merseburger Hofmusik, the ensemble on this album, was founded in 1998 by musicians from the Gewandhaus Orchestra Leipzig and freelance specialists to perform Central German baroque music on historical instruments.
Compositional Technique
Unlike his approximately 40 symphonies, which are all in major keys, nearly half of Hertel's 50 surviving concertos for various solo instruments are composed in minor keys.
Performer Biography
Michael Schönheit, the conductor and organist, is the Gewandhausorganist in Leipzig and has been the artistic director of the Merseburg Organ Days since 1994, a leading organ festival in Germany.
Performer Biography
Bettina Messerschmidt, the cellist on this album, has devoted herself exclusively to the baroque cello since 2000 and uses period-appropriate instruments and bowing techniques.
Composer Biography
Johann Wilhelm Hertel, the composer, was described in an 1880 lexicon as one of the most distinguished violinists in the Benda style, a skilled keyboard player, and a significant composer.
Composition History
The two cello concertos by Johann Wilhelm Hertel featured on this album were rediscovered in the early 1990s, significantly enriching the repertoire of cello concertos from the Age of Sensitivity.
Composition History
Hertel's music had limited circulation during his lifetime because very few of his works were printed; most existed as handwritten scores, often with ink still wet.
