Theodor Freiherr von Schacht (1748-1823) - Partita 'Turco' (1790)
Performers: Böhmisches Sinfonieorchester Budweis; Hans Peter Wiesheu (leitung)
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German composer. From 1756 to 1766 he studied the piano and theory with
J.J. Küffner and Riepel at the Thurn and Taxis court in Regensburg, and
from 1766 to 1771 he was a pupil of Jommelli at Stuttgart. In 1771 he
became a Hofkavalier to Prince Carl Anselm of Thurn and Taxis, who in
1773 appointed him Intendant of the court's music and commissioned him
to set up an Italian opera, which flourished from 1774 to 1778. After
the building of a German theatre in 1778 Schacht dedicated himself more
to the service of the court. Between 1784 and 1786 he again established
an Italian opera at the court, and was its leader and Kapellmeister.
From 1786 he was the administrator and musical director of the court
orchestra. In 1805 he travelled via Salzburg to Vienna, where he won
respect as a composer of sacred music. There in 1809 he was asked by
Napoleon to compose six solemn masses, and also enjoyed the protection
of Archduke Rudolf. He returned to Germany in 1812, lived in the castle
at Scheer (near Sigmaringen) until 1819 and spent his last years in
Regensburg. Schacht's output includes about 200 works, the strongest of
which are the theatre pieces in which he cultivated the Italian style of
opera. Schacht's church music displays the same theatrical energy, with
rich coloratura, homophonic choral movements and a sparing use of fugal
sections. His instrumental music was notable less for contrapuntal
interest than for its wealth of attractive melodies and harmonies. One
of his symphonies was formerly attributed to Haydn.
