Schmittbaur: Symphonies

Featuring

Werner Ehrhardt
L'arte del mondo
Joseph Aloys Schmittbaur

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Recording & Production

This recording was made in August 2021 at the Friedenskirche in Leverkusen-Schlebusch, with Dr. Rüdiger Thomsen-Fürst providing scholarly research on Schmittbaur.

Composition History

The Symphony in C major was composed by Schmittbaur at almost 80 years old for the wedding of Princess Caroline of Baden, who later became Bavaria's first queen.

Composer Biography

Joseph Aloys Schmittbaur, the composer, lived an exceptionally long life for his time, reaching the age of 91 and outliving Joseph Haydn by six months.

Compositional Technique

Schmittbaur's symphonies often followed the Mannheim orchestral and compositional practices, with later works showing influence from Viennese Classicism, such as slow introductions to opening movements.

Cultural Impact

Schmittbaur's name is associated with the glass harmonica, an instrument that became very popular in Germany in the late 18th century, and he produced and sold these instruments himself.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Carl Ludwig Junker, a contemporary writer, praised Schmittbaur as an 'all-rounder' whose extensive output, including church music, operas, and symphonies, was noted for its originality and unique beauty.