Johann Gottlieb Graun

As well as works by Leclair, C P E Bach, Graun and Blavet, this CD includes a rediscovered work by Quantz. It is a flute concerto in D and La Ricordanza came across the manuscript in the Berlin State Library. This is the first recording on CD. For more that fifteen years, La Ricordanza has enthused concertgoers and CD fans in Europe and around the world with their energetic and multifaceted playing.

This 2CD set of rarely performed string concertos by early 18th century German composer Johann Gottlieb Graun includes some that are receiving their WORLD PREMIER recordings. The music, which also includes a concerto by Markus Heinrich Grauel, is performed by the outstanding young Austrian ensemble Modern Times_1800.

Born in Wahrenbrück in Germany around 1701, in later life Johann Gottlieb Graun became concertmaster and conductor at the court-orchestra of Frederick II of Prussia. Instrumental music dominate the works of Graun, and he wrote at least 83 solo concertos, double concertos and several ensemble concertos with solo violin, a selection of which receive their world premier recordings on this 2CD set.

Modern Times_1800 is a young Austrian chamber orchestra comprising international specialists. It was founded in 2003 by Ilia Korol and Julia Moretti who set out to form an ensemble from a new generation of musicians, proficient both in historical performance and in the music of the 20th century. Ilia Korol hails from Kiev and has performed as concertmaster of the Musica Antiqua Köln, the Bach Ensemble with Joshua Rifkin and the Spanish Baroque Orchestra RCOC and furthermore is member of the ensemble Ars Antiqua Austria and the Clemencic Consort.

The Cappella Coloniensis are always on the lookout for forgotten, pushed aside music and a challenge. For this new disc of overtures they perform works by four composers of the same era as Bach, Handel, Telemann and Vivaldi. Whilst these four are well known names, Heinichen, Graupner, Fasch and Graun are often overshadowed by their more well known baroque contemporaries, despite sharing a similar success.

The colourfully orchestrated overtures and orchestral suites give the soloists in the Cappella ample opportunity to present their virtuosity.

The symphonic works featured on this 2CD set all come from a period during the second half of the eighteenth century that has come to be known as the “Age of Enlightenment” when Frederick the Second ruled over Prussia. Alongside acknowledged masterpieces by Mozart and Haydn, the program also includes pieces by Hasse, Graun and C.P.E Bach that are receiving their first ever recording. The music is performed by the rising stars of the Austrian Chamber Group “Modern Times_1800”.

The many castles in and around Berlin were once the splendid centre of musical activities in the times of the aristocratic courts. The nobility, during this period of enlightenment, were very interested in bringing the most important composers and musicians to Prussia. On this five CD set, can be found some of the musical treasures that were performed at the castles of Sanssouci, Charlottenburg and Rheinsberg. The Berliner Barock Company play these works on historical instruments.