A significant portion of Roman's manuscripts, at least two-thirds, are not in his own hand but were copied by as many as 200 different scribes, making authenticity and provenance difficult to determine.
Composition History
The collection of Roman's works includes approximately 400 attributed titles, with most primary sources housed at the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in Stockholm.
Composer Biography
While imprisoned by the Turks in 1714, King Charles XII granted Roman a special scholarship to study music in England, which greatly benefited both the young violinist and Sweden's musical future.
Composer Biography
Johan Helmich Roman, the composer, is often called 'the father of Swedish music' and 'the Swedish Handel' due to his significant contributions as Sweden's earliest native composer of serious attainment.
Historical Context
Roman's musical emergence coincided with Sweden's 'Era of Freedom' (around 1720-70), a period of new social and aesthetic ideals following a devastating war, plague, and economic hardship.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Roman played a key role in fostering public musical taste in Sweden by cultivating a repertoire that included both foreign and his own compositions, and by instituting the first public concerts in Sweden in 1731.
Interpretation
The harpsichord used for this recording is a copy of a 1730 instrument by Nicolas and François Etienne Blanchet, tuned to Romieu 1/8 comma well temperament.
