Jan Křtitel Vaňhal (Wanhal): Symphony in A Flat Major

Johann Baptist Wanhal[1] (12 May 1739 – 20 August 1813) was a Czech classical music composer. He was born in Nechanice, Bohemia, and died in Vienna. His music was well respected by Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven. 

 

Symphony in A Flat Major Bryan Ab1

Toronto Camerata, Kevin Mallon (conductor)

 

1.Allegro Molto – 0:00​ 2.Adagio Molto Cantabile – 05:33​ 3.Menuetto I & II – 11:21​ 4.Finale: Allegro Molto – 14:01

 

The magnificent Symphony in A flat, composed in all likelihood in Vienna about 1772-1773, is unique among Vaňhal’s symphonies both on account of its key and the use of a horn soloist in the second movement. Although the work appears to have circulated reasonably widely in manuscript, it was never published in the composer’s lifetime. Symphonies in the key of Aflat major are seldom encountered in the eighteenth century. Vanhal’s choice of such an unusual key is, therefore, interesting and might well reflect aesthetic considerations, the special effect (Affekt) of the key itself. Equally, however, it might have been to complement the second movement which features a solo horn (in E flat), accompanied by a choir of strings ‚con sordino’, and two oboes, a lovely effect that results from the timbre of the horn combined with the swirling semiquaver-dominated, gossamer sound of the muted strings. The horn part is carefully written. It is confined to the notes available on the natural horn without hand-stopping and is less demanding than the second movements of the horn concertos by Mozart and Haydn, but it still requires a player with flexibility and ability. One might suppose that it would be playable by the average first hornist who would be encountered in the normal Viennese orchestra, that is, not a virtuoso. It would be interesting to know for whom this symphony was written, and who was the horn player entrusted to perform the lyrical second movement. By the time Vaňhal composed the Symphony in A flat major he had already written more than fifty symphonies. It is a serious work, the product of a mature composer whose concept of what a symphony should be was well established in his mind.”(excerpts from liner notes by Paul Bryan and Allan Badley)

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