IDAGIO | Johann Franz Xaver Sterkel: Piano Quartet

Featuring

Julia Huber-Warzecha
Anja Enderle
Miriam Altmann
Ursula Plagge-Zimmermann
Trio Fortepiano
Franz Xaver Sterkel

Did you know?

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Critical Reception

Despite being a highly regarded composer and interpreter during his lifetime, Sterkel, like many of his contemporaries, was largely forgotten after his death.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Sterkel believed church music should be noble, simple, and pure, stating that "Light and tone are the holiest things that there are in Nature."

Cultural Impact

Sterkel's works even reached the United States, where they were performed by the Moravian Community in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, between 1796 and 1894.

Composer Biography

Johann Franz Xaver Sterkel's stepfather initially discouraged his musical pursuits, even countering his activities with blows, until his piano playing gained attention.

Composition History

Sterkel's eight symphonies, published as Op. 7 and Op. 11, were performed 52 times at the famous Le Concert Spirituel series in Paris between 1777 and 1782, making him the most performed composer there.

Composer Biography

Sterkel once played for Ludwig van Beethoven, who was impressed by Sterkel's "pleasant manner" of playing and adopted it when performing his own variations.