Born in Moravia, Franz Xaver Richter worked at the Court of Kempfen then of Mannheim as "chamber composer". During this period, he composed more than 80 symphonies, concertos, as well as many chamber music works, including string quartets. In 1769 he was appointed Choirmaster at Strasbourg Cathedral. He then proceeded to produce an impressive catalogue of religious works that includes 39 masses, 50 cantatas, 3 Requiems, etc., and, in 1773, he composed Leçons des Ténèbres or The Lamentations of Jeremiah to commemorate Christ's passion during the days preceding Easter. A veritable link between Baroque and Classical, Richter was one of those composers who pioneered a new, pre-classical symphonic style, admired throughout Europe for its instrumental virtuosity, dynamic effects, varied instrumentation, and a marked use of the winds. Cypres welcomes this first project of the ensemble Stradivaria with soloists of the first rank that make this CD a real event.
