Andreas Romberg's symphonies were highly popular in Hamburg, with performance numbers surpassed only by those of Haydn and Mozart.
Compositional Technique
The 'Turkish' sound in classical music was characterized by march-like rhythms, and exotic instruments like the Schellenbaum (Turkish crescent), cymbals, drums, and tambourine.
Historical Context
The croissant, a crescent-shaped pastry, is said to have originated in Vienna in 1683 to commemorate the city's bakers foiling a Turkish siege.
Composer Biography
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, composer of the Violin Concerto in A major, was concertmaster in the archbishop's court orchestra in Salzburg and was considered by his father to be 'the foremost violinist in Europe'.
Composition History
Andreas Romberg's Symphony No. 4 in C major, subtitled 'alla turca', was premiered on December 22, 1798, in a concert he gave with his cousin, cellist Bernhard Romberg.
Historical Context
Janissary music, played by up to 300 musicians, was a Turkish military music style that fascinated European composers like Gluck, Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven.
Performer Biography
Kevin Griffiths, the conductor on this album, is the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Collegium Musicum Basel since 2011.
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