Franz Krommer: Sinfonia Concertante in D major for flute, clarinet, and violin, Op.80

Franz Krommer 

 

 

( 1759 ~ 1831 /영조 35~순조31년)

Czech composer of classical music, whose 71-year life span began half a year after the death of

George Frideric Handel (1685~1759) and ended nearly four years after that of  Ludwig van Beethoven(1770~1827년)

Sinfonia Concertante in D major for flute, clarinet and violin, Op.80

Budweis Philharmonic Orchestra, Jakub Hrůša (conductor)
Frédéric Rapin (clarinet), Brigitte Buxtorf (flute), Jakub Černohorský (violin)
I.- Allegro – 00:00
II.- Adagio – 15:50
III.- Menuetto, Allegretto-Trio – 24:33
IV.- Andante, Alegretto – 29:52
V. - Allegro- 37:24

Franz Krommer was born in town of Kamnitz then part of the Habsburg Austrian Empire (today Kamenice in the Czech Republic). By the time he was 15, Krommer began using the Germanized version of his name for the rest of his life, the name by which he became known to the world.
Krommer was a violinist of considerable ability who came to Vienna around 1785. For the following 10 years he held appointments at various aristocratic courts in Hungary. He returned to Vienna in 1795 where he remained until his death, holding various positions including that of Court Composer (Hofmusiker) to the Emperor, Franz I, an enthusiastic quartet player. He was the last composer to hold this august title and one of his duties was accompanying the Emperor on his various campaigns so that he could relax in the evenings playing quartets.
There are more than 300 compositions which were at one time or another published, much of which is chamber music. He wrote more than 70 string quartets, 35 quintets, perhaps as many as 15 string trios, at least 9 symphonies, but also several works for winds and strings.
His works were highly acclaimed not only in Vienna but throughout Europe, and the scores of his works were published and republished on many occasions in all the major publishing centres. He was acclaimed by his contemporaries: his string quartets were likened to those of Haydn and he was considered to be a rival of Beethoven. But Krommer's name was rapidly forgotten after his death and had been firmly relegated to the past by the mid-nineteenth century. Today it's his wind music that best bears out his former reputation. Gaiety, humour and rhythmic variety are typical features of his works, as are his careful and inventive use of harmony and his employment of tradition elements from his native Bohemia.