Stamitz: Three Symphonies Concertantes

With 38 known works, Carl Stamitz is one of the most important composers of concertante symphonies. The Sinfonia concertante was a hybrid form between symphony and concerto popular in the 1760s and 1770s. The baroque concerto grosso, in which a group of soloists alternated with the orchestral tutti, may have been a model. In the sinfonia concertante, there are always at least two soloists facing the orchestra. The concertante differs from the symphony in the number of movements; many are only in two movements, but none have more than three. As in the concerto, tutti and solo sections are juxtaposed in the sinfonia concertante, with the difference that here the orchestral tutti is usually given a larger share. The Sinfonia concertante thus combines the large orchestral sound with the opportunity for the instrumentalists to show off their virtuosity and brilliance. Carl Stamitz's oeuvre is dominated by three-movement works, including those recorded here. The majority of them were composed in Paris in the 1770s and most of them were also printed there. The use of two solo instruments is the rule with Stamitz, particularly frequently the combination of violin and cello, but he also composed works with up to seven solo instruments. His contributions to the genre are closer to the concerto than the symphony; they could also be described as group concertos. In the section of his book Ideen zu einer Ästhetik der Tonkunst dedicated to Carl Stamitz, Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart went into raptures, such was his high regard for the performer, composer and man: "Stamitz the son, the most famous violist in Germany, and one of our most amiable composers. [...] One finds so much truth, so much beauty and grace in his movements that he is generally recognized in Germany, Italy, France and England as a pupil of the Graces. His symphonies also have a peculiar character: they are full of splendor and harmony. His andantes are particularly masterly - a result of his sensitive heart."