Preorder “Army of Generals II”
My newest album with my ensemble Das Neue Mannheimer Orchester: “Army of Generals Volume II: Carl Theodor’s Court Orchestra in Mannheim, 1742–1778” is now available for pre-order, with physical CD’s arriving on 10 November 2023 and the digital release on 1 December 2023.
This album continues in our series exploring the music of 18th century Mannheim: a veritable “Athens on the Rhine,” and the famous orchestra of Prince-Elector Karl Theodor. The namesake of this anthology “Army of Generals” comes from a quote by English musicologist Charles Burney, who visited Mannheim in 1772 and wrote: “There are more solo players and good composers in this, than perhaps in any other orchestra in Europe; it is an army of generals, equally fit to plan a battle, as to fight it.” Although this music was extremely popular and influential in its time, it is largely forgotten today, so the release of this anthology of recordings brings new light to this otherwise obscure and underrated repertoire.
The album was recorded during May 2023 in The Hague (NL).
More information may be found at the website of Das Neue Mannheimer Orchester.
About the album
FEATURING
Anders Muskens: Kapellmeister and harpsichord
Elisabeth Hetherington: soprano
Mojca Gal: Concertmaster
and Das Neue Mannheimer Orchester
TRACK LISTING
Anton Fils (1733–1760)
Periodical Symphony No. 8 in G major
Allegro
Andante
Menuetto & Trio
Allegro assai
Niccolò Jommelli (1714–1774)
Aria "D'un van timore il freno" from Arcadia conservata (Schwetzingen 1775)
Johann Stamitz (1717–1757)
Sinfonia in A major WolS I. A–4
Fresco assai
Andantino un poco Allegretto
Menuetto & Trio
Presto assai
Gian Francesco de Majo (1732–1770)
Aria "Mio ben, ricordati" from Alessandro (Mannheim, 1766)
Anton Schweitzer (1735–1787)
Aria: "Zwischen Angst und Hoffen" from Alceste (Schwetzingen version, 1775)
Christain Cannabich (1731–1798)
Symphony No. 51 in D major
Allegro
Andante
Presto ma non tanto