Now streaming: Army of Generals Vol. II

Our newest album “Army of Generals Volume II: Carl Theodor’s Court Orchestra in Mannheim, 1742–1778” is now available, 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).

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

  1. Allegro

  2. Andante

  3. Menuetto & Trio

  4. 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

  1. Fresco assai

  2. Andantino un poco Allegretto

  3. Menuetto & Trio

  4. 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

  1. Allegro

  2. Andante

  3. Presto ma non tanto

Previous
Previous

Happy 2024: 300 Year Jubilee of Carl Theodor

Next
Next

New album arriving in December