Concerto Koln: Dall’Abaco, Locatelli, Vanhal, Kozeluch, Cannabich and Eberl (6CDs) [2007]

One of the benefits of the current “catalog-dumping” trend from major record labels these days is the gathering together of sets such as [this one], offering a trove of music that otherwise would be difficult or impossible to assemble from individual recordings, and many of which are no longer available singly. The 6-CD collection from Concerto Köln is the best overall, comprising some of the finest orchestral works from 18th-century Europe not written by Bach, Haydn, or Mozart, and celebrating the spirit and expressive capabilities and character of a smaller-sized, conductor-less instrumental ensemble. These composers—Dall’Abaco, Kozeluch, Eberl, for instance—deserve to be better-, make that well-known. And there’s no doubt that if there had not been a Haydn or Mozart, we’d be (justifiably) listening to, and marveling at, a lot more Johann Vanhal today—if you don’t know this contemporary of both of those great masters, you owe it to yourself to get acquainted. The Concerto Köln is a premier advocate for all of this repertoire, and having all of it in one economical box is ideal.

– David Vernier

Performer:
Concerto Köln

Track List:
CD1 Evaristo Felice Dall'Abaco (1675-1742)
01. Concerto a quattro da chiesa Op.2 No.1 in D minor: I. Largo
02. II. Allegro
03. III. Andante
04. IV. Allegro assai
05. Concerto a quattro da chiesa Op.2 No.4 in A minor: I. Aria: Allegro
06. II. Largo
07. III. Presto
08. Concerto a quattro da chiesa Op.2 No.5 in G minor: I. Largo
09. II. Allegro e spiritoso
10. III. Grave
11. IV. Allegro
12. Concerto a quattro da chiesa Op.2 No.7 in C major: I. Largo andante
13. II. Allegro - Adagio
14. III. Presto
15. Concerto a piu instrumenti Op.5 No.3 in E minor: I. Allegro
16. II. Adagio cantabile
17. III. Presto assai - Adagio - Prestissimo - Adagio
18. IV. Largo
19. V. Primo Passepied - Secondo Passepied
20. Concerto a piu instrumenti Op.5 No.5 in C major: I. Allegro
21. II. Grave
22. III. Allegro assai
23. IV. Rondeau: Allegro
24. Concerto a piu instrumenti Op.5 No.6 in D major: I. Allegro
25. II. Aria: Cantabile
26. III. Ciaconna: Allegro e spiccato
27. IV. Rondeau: Allegro
28. V. Allegro
29. Concerto a piu instrumenti Op.6 No.5 in G major: I. Allegro e vivace assai
30. II. Aria: Adagio cantabile
31. III. Allegro
32. Concerto a piu instrumenti Op.6 No.11 in E major: I. Allegro
33. II. Aria: Cantabile
34. III. Allegro e spiritoso
CD2 Pietro Antonio Locatelli (1695-1764)
01. Concerto grosso in E flat major op.7 no.6 'Il pianto d'Arianna': I. Andante-Allegro-Adagio-Andante-Allegro
02. II. Largo
03. III. Largo andante
04. IV. Grave
05. V. Allegro
06. VI. Largo
07. Concerto grosso in B flat major op.1 no.3: I. Largo
08. II. Allegro
09. III. Largo - Allegro
10. IV. Vivace
11. V. Allegro
12. Concerto grosso in F major op.7 no.4: I. Andante
13. II. Largo
14. III. Cantabile
15. IV. Allegro molto
16. Concerto grosso in G minor op.1 no.12: I. Largo
17. II. Allemanda: Allegro
18. III. Sarabanda: Vivace
19. IV. Presto
20. V. Gavotta: Allegro
21. Concerto grosso in E flat major op.4 no.10: I. Adagio
22. II. Allegro
23. III. Minuetto
CD3 Mannheim: The Golden Age
01 Christian Cannabich (1731-1798): Sinfonia in E flat major: I. Allegro
02. II. Andante
03. III. Presto
04. Carl Stamitz (1745-1801): Cello Concerto No.4 in C major: I. Allegro moderato
05. II. Andante grazioso
06. III. Rondeau: Allegretto
07. Anton Fils (1733-1760): Sinfonia in G minor: I. Allegro
08. II. Andante
09. III. Minue
10. IV. Allegro assai
11. Johann Atamitz (1717-1757): Sinfonia in G major: I. Allegro
12. II. Andante sempre piano
13. - da capo Allegro
14. III. Menuetto
15. IV. Presto
16. Ignaz Fränzl (1736-1811): Sinfonia No.5 in C major: I. Allegro vivace
17. II. Andante
18. III. Presto
CD4 Johann Baptist Vanhal (1739-1813)
01. Symphony in D minor (Bryan d1): I. Allegro
02. II. Arioso, ma non lento
03. III. Menuetto
04. IV. Presto
05. Symphony in G minor (Bryan g1): I. Allegro moderato
06. II. Andante cantabile
07. III. Menuetto
08. IV. Finale: Allegro
09. Symphony in C major 'Sinfonia comista' (Bryan C11): I. Allegro con brio (La speranza)
10. II. Andante cantabile (Il sospirare e languire)
11. III. Finale: Adagio piu andante (La lamentazione) - Allegro (L'allegrezza)
12. Symphony in A minor (Bryan a2): I. Allegro moderato
13. II. Andante cantabile
14. III. Menuetto
15. IV. Allegro
16. Symphony in E minor (Bryan e1): I. Allegro moderato
17. II. Andante
18. III. Menuetto
19. IV. Finale: Allegro
CD5 Leopold Kozeluch (1747-1818)
01. Symphony in C major (Postolka I:6): I. Poco adagio - Allegro
02. II. Poco adagio
03. III. Menuetto: Vivace
04. IV. Presto con fuoco
05. Symphony in A major ‘à la française’ (Postolka I:10): I. Allegro molto
06. II. Poco adagio ma piu andante
07. III. Menuetto
08. IV. Finale: Presto con fuoco
09. Symphony in D major (Postolka I:1): I. Allegro
10. II. Andante
11. III. Rondo: Allegro moderato [Andantino]
12. Symphony in B flat major 'L'irresoluto' (Postolka I:11): I. Allegro ma piu presto
13. II. Adagio
14. III. Menuetto: Vivace
15. IV. Allegro molto poco presto
CD6 Anton Eberl (1765-1807)
01. Symphony in C major, w.o.n. 7: I. Allegro con brio
02. II. Andante grazioso
03. III. Finale: Allegro assai
04. Symphony in E flat major, op.33: I. Andante sostenuto-Allegro con fuoco e vivace
05. II. Andante con moto
06. III. Menuetto: Allegro vivace
07. IV. Finale: Allegro assai
08. Symphony in D minior, op.34: I. Andante maestoso e sostenuto-Tempo di marcia-Allegro agitato
09. II. Andante con moto
10. III. Finale: Vivace assai