VORISEK, Jan Václav (1791-1825) - Sinfonie D-Dur (1823)

Jan Václav Voříšek (1791-1825) - Premier Sinfonie D-Dur (1823)

Performers: Virtuosi Di Praga; Václav Neumann (1920-1995, conductor)

Painting: Hippolyte Lecomte (1781-1857) - Reddition de Mantoue, le 2 février 1797,

le général Wurmser se rend au général Sérurier

Further info: Voříšek - Mass & Symphony

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Jan Václav (Johann Hugo) Voříšek [Worzischek, Worisek]

(Vamberk, 11 May 1791 - Vienna, 19 November 1825)

Bohemian composer, pianist and organist. He was the youngest son of Václav František Voříšek (1749-1815) who taught him the piano and singing. He later studied the organ and the violin and began to compose. As a child prodigy, he started to perform publicly in Bohemian towns at the age of nine. After settled in Prague, he studied at a grammar school and later he went on at the Prague University. At the same time, he took piano and composition lessons from Václav Tomášek. In 1813 he moved to Vienna to study law at the university as well as music under Johann Nepomuk Hummel. In Vienna he personally met Ludwig van Beethoven (1814) and many other important personalities of European musical life; among others Franz Schubert, with whom they became good friends. He finished his law studies only in 1821 and for a short time made his living as a clerk; at the same time he composed, conducted and taught piano. In 1824 he was appointed the first court organist in Vienna. At that time, however, he suffered from tuberculosis; his treatment in Graz did not help and he died in his age of 34. As a composer, he mainly wrote piano works; he started in the classical style but soon romantic elements predominated. He also composed, among others, a Symphony (1821), several chamber works and a Solemn Mass. Although he was born in Bohemia, Voříšek's music bears hardly a trace of what was later considered to be Czech national style. Well versed in Viennese classicism, he was among the last of the many Bohemian émigrés of his time to compose in the internationalized late-Classical style associated with Vienna. Voříšek's music provides a remarkably accurate picture of the musical trends prevalent in Biedermeier Vienna, especially during the decade 1815-1825. His brother František Voříšek (1785-1843), a priest, was also a musician, and the two daughters, Eleonora Voříšek and Anna Voříšek, were pianists.

Unknown composer (18th Century) - Missa pro Defunctis (c.1749)

Unknown composer (18th Century) - Missa pro Defunctis 'Requiem Chiquitano' (c.1749)

Performers: Camerata Renacentista de Caracas; Collegium Musicum; Isabel Palacios (conductor)

Drawing: John Raphael Smith (1752-1812) - The Lady in Milton's Comus (1789)

Further info: Requiem Chiquitano

KITTL, Jan Bedřich (1806-1868) - Jagd-Sinfonie für das Orchester (1837)

Jan Bedřich Kittl (1806-1868) - Jagd=Sinfonie: | N|r|o 2. | für das Orchester (1837)

Performers: Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra; Josef Hrncir (1921-2014, conductor)

Painting: Johann Wilhelm Jankowski (c.1825-1870) - Prague in winter

Further info: Jagd-Sinfonie für das Orchester (1837)

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Jan (Johann) Bedřich (Friedrich) Kittl [Kittel]

(Orlík nad Vltavou, 8 May 1806 - Lissa [now Leszno], 20 July 1868)

Bohemian composer. He studied law at the University of Prague, and took private lessons in piano with Benedikt Zavora and in composition with Václav Jan Tomášek. He was employed at first by the Czech financial procurators in Prague, but in 1836, after a concert of his compositions, he devoted himself to music. His 'Jagdsinjonie' was premiered by Ludwig Spohr (1839), and subsequently performed widely in Germany. In 1843 he succeeded Bedřich Diviš Weber as director of the Prague Conservatory. Soon after the successful première of his fourth symphony (1858), written to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Prague Conservatory, his health and energy declined. This, together with financial embarrassments, forced him to resign from the conservatory at the end of 1865. His last years were spent in exile. As a composer, he wrote at least four operas, two masses, several choral works, and songs, as well as four symphonies, three overtures and chamber music. Jan Bedřich Kittl should be considered as one of the first bohemian Romantics.

HERMANN, Johann David (c.1760-1846) - Concerto pour la Harpe

Johann David Hermann (c.1760-1846) - Deuxieme Concerto pour la Harpe avec accompagnement de deux Violons, Alto, Basse, Bassons, Cors et Hautbois (ad Libitum)

Performers: Rachel Tаlitmаn (harp); Ensemble Hаrpеggio

Painting: Circle of Marie-Victoire Lemoine (1754-1820) - Group portrait with a lady playing the harp,

another singing, and a gentleman, probably the instructor, in an architectural interior

Further info: Hermann: The School of Harp in France

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Johann (Jean) David Hermann [Herrmann]

(c.1760 - Paris, 1846)

German composer and teacher. Nothing is known about his youth. In 1785, he settled in Paris where he published his 'Trois sonates pour le piano forte et accompagnement de violon ad libitum' (1785) and performed as keyboardist at the 'Concert Spirituel' with great success. After that, he was appointed the Queen Marie Antoinette private teacher. Since then he was devoting himself as a keyboard teacher the rest of his life. That years in Paris he was highly praised as keyboardist, being comparable to Daniel Steibelt with whom competed at the Paris salons. As a composer, he wrote at least five piano concertos, two harp concertos, chamber and keyboard pieces. After a long career as a musician, he died in Paris in 1846. 

MAHAUT, Antoine (1719-c.1785) - Sinfonia a piu stromenti (1755)

Antoine Mahaut (1719-c.1785) - Sinfonia (IV, C-Dur) des 'VI Sinfonie a piu stromenti, tre a duoi violini,

alto viola, violoncello o basso continuo e duoi corni da caccia ad libitum,

e tre a duoi violini, alto viola, violoncello o basso continuo... opera II' (1755)

Performers: Camerata Lеodiеnsis; Hubert Schoonbroodt (1941-1992, conductor)

Drawing: Jacques Rigaud (1680-1754) - Gezicht op het Palais du Luxembourg te Parijs gezien vanaf de tuin (1729)

Further info: Mahaut: Conciertos / Sinfonias

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Antoine [Anton, Antonio] Mahaut [Mahault, Mahoti, Mahout]

(Namur, bap. 4 May 1719 - Namur?, c.1785)

Walloon flautist and composer. Born into a family of musicians, he probably studied with his father, a flautist, before entering the service of the Bishop of Strickland in London at the age of 15. By 1737 he had returned to Namur, but two years later he moved to Amsterdam, where he performed frequently and toured Germany. On 20 July 1751 he obtained a privilege permitting him to publish his own works. He visited Dresden, Augsburg and Paris as well as returning regularly to Namur. His acquaintance with the flautist Pierre-Gabriel Buffardin in Dresden resulted in the dedication of six trio sonatas and possibly two concertos. About 1760 he settled in Paris. He probably returned to his hometown to retire. As a composer, his music consists of 31 flute concertos, 20 symphonies, 26 trios, 29 flute sonatas, and around 50 Lieder, mostly in Dutch. Mahaut's compositions were published extensively during his lifetime. He also wrote one of the first treatises on flute performance in Dutch. It marked a considerable advance on the methods of Jacques Hotteterre, Michel Corrette and Johann Quantz, particularly with regard to technique; it was the only work of its time to distinguish between the French and Italian ways of executing the trill and appoggiatura.