Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf: Three Descriptive Sinfonias – Naxos CD

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• UPC: 730099497527
• Product Type: Music CD
• Brand Name: Naxos
• MPN: 8.553975
• Genre: Classical
• Style: 18th Century / Symphonic / Programmatic
• Composer: Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf
• Performers: Failoni Orchestra (Budapest Failoni Chamber Orchestra), Uwe Grodd (Conductor)
• Release Year: 1998

Product Features

• Format: Audio CD (DDD)
• Length: 70:28
• Dimensions: Standard Jewel Case
• Label: Naxos (18th Century Symphony series)
• Recording Venue: Calvinist Church, Budapest, Hungary (December 1996)

Overview

Step back into the witty and inventive world of the late 18th century with this recording of "Descriptive Sinfonias" by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf. While his name may not be as immediately recognizable today as his friends Mozart and Haydn, Dittersdorf was one of the most prolific and popular composers of his era. This Naxos release features three symphonies that showcase his gift for humor, irony, and musical storytelling.

The "programmatic" nature of these works—music designed to tell a specific story or represent a theme—precedes the famous program music of the Romantic era. From the satirical "The Delirium of Composers" to the multifaceted "The Battle of the Human Passions," these pieces offer a fascinating glimpse into the Enlightenment's fascination with human emotion and international styles. Conducted by Uwe Grodd with the Failoni Orchestra, these performances are vibrant, crisp, and full of the character required to bring Dittersdorf's musical "sketches" to life.

Interesting Facts

• A Famous String Quartet: Dittersdorf was part of perhaps the most legendary amateur string quartet in history. He played second violin alongside Joseph Haydn (first violin), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (viola), and Johann Baptist Vanhal (cello).
• The Delirium of Composers: This sinfonia (Il delirio delli compositori) is essentially an 18th-century musical parody. It is believed to be a spoof of the Sturm und Drang (Storm and Stress) style that was sweeping through Europe at the time, mocking the "taste of today" with theatrical exaggeration.
• Flavor of Five Nations: In Sinfonia nel gusto di cinque nazioni, Dittersdorf musically "travels" through Europe, dedicating movements to the national styles of Germany (Tedesco), Italy (Italiano), England (Inglese), France (Francesco), and even Turkey (Turco).
• A Prolific Life: Dittersdorf wrote over 120 symphonies and 40 operas. His autobiography, dictated just days before his death in 1799, remains one of the most important primary sources for understanding the musical life of the Classical period.
• The Artist: Conductor Uwe Grodd is a specialist in 18th-century repertoire and has been instrumental in reviving the works of "forgotten" masters of the era for the Naxos label.

Track Listing

Sinfonia in A minor, ‘Il delirio delli compositori’ (21:35)

1. I. Allegro assai (8:39)
2. II. Andantino (4:34)
3. III. Minuetto (3:48)
4. IV. Presto (non troppo) (4:34)

Sinfonia in D major, ‘Il Combattimento delle passioni umani’ (27:48)

1. I. Il Superbo (The Proud): Andante con maesta (4:50)
2. II. Il Humile (The Humble): Andante (1:51)
3. III. Il Matto (The Foolish): Minuetto poco allegro / Il Amante (The Lover): Trio (2:47)
4. IV. Il Contento (The Contented): Andante (2:14)
5. V. Il Constante (The Constant): Minuetto & Trio (3:40)
6. VI. Il Malinconico (The Melancholy): Adagio (3:56)
7. VII. Il Vivace (The Lively): Allegro assai (8:22)

Sinfonia in A major, ‘Sinfonia nazionale nel gusto di cinque nazioni’ (15:07)

1. I. Tedesco: Andantino (5:53)
2. II. Italiano: Allegro (3:19)
3. III. Inglese: Allegretto (1:52)
4. IV. Francesco: Minuetto / Turco: Trio (5:27)
5. V. Finale (4:25)

Publishers

Published by HNH International Ltd. (℗ & © 1998). Recorded at the Calvinist Church, Budapest. Producer: Tamás Benedek. Music Notes: Dr. Allan Badley. Cover Painting: Landscape with Apollo guarding the herds of Admetus by Claude Lorrain.

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