Joseph Martin Kraus: Symphonies

Joseph Martin Kraus (Composer), Werner Ehrhardt (Conductor), Concerto Köln (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Concerto Köln
• Conductor: Werner Ehrhardt
• Composer: Joseph Martin Kraus
• Audio CD (September 29, 2009)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Phoenix Edition
• ASIN: B002JP9HOY
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #329,931 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars There was Haydn, Mozart and....Kraus., February 17, 2011

By 

Rene F. Auclair (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Joseph Martin Kraus: Symphonies (Audio CD)

Between Haydn and Mozart, the music of Kraus is the best of the classical period of the second part of the 18th century. His music is full of emotions and passions!! Very well written, the music is full of surprises. Concerto Koln has done the best interpretation of these magnificent symphonies. Highly recommanded!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sturm und Drang in Sweden, December 15, 2009

By 

Craig M. Zeichner "CMZ" (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Joseph Martin Kraus: Symphonies (Audio CD)

Joseph Martin Kraus was one of a handful of talented immigrant composers who came to King Gustavus III's court and made a great contribution to Swedish musical life in the late 18th century. Kraus was a true polymath who, in addition to being a top-notch composer, wrote a book of poetry, a tragedy, voluminous correspondence and a musical treatise that was closely associated with the Sturm und Drang movement in literature. His musical training began at the age of 12 when received training from members of the Mannheim court orchestra.

The Mannheim school and the music of Gluck and Haydn (both of whom Kraus met during travels to Vienna) influenced the composer and his symphonies certainly bear the mark of their influence. Kraus wrote fifteen symphonies and twelve of them are extant. This 2-CD recording by Concerto Köln features eight of the symphonies in performances that are nearly seventeen years old (they were originally issued on Capriccio) but still glow with energy and vigor. Haydn considered Kraus "one of the greatest geniuses I have ever met" and these excellent symphonies certainly merit such praise.

Kraus was a man of the theater and the pained opening movement of the Symphony in C sharp minor certainly sings like a gorgeous operatic lament. But there's more than breast-beating here, shades of Haydn hover about the work's two genial Minuets before a quintessentially Sturm und Drang drenched Allegro closes the work. The masterpiece of the set is the Symphonie funèbre. The work was written in 1792 after the assassination of Gustav III and it's a heart-wrenching and noble memorial to the murdered King. Darkly toned brass and strings dominate the work which is the model of restrained, elegiac writing. It's hard to believe this piece was written before the height of the Romantic movement.

The period instrument ensemble Concerto Köln delivers outstanding performances. As I said earlier, it's hard to believe these recordings are close to twenty years old. There's crispness in execution and passionate eloquence in every note. The ensemble has gone on to make dozens of recordings of Baroque and late 18th century music, but few are as fetching as this Phoenix reissue.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great readings by Concerto Köln of highly enjoyable symphonies, September 9, 2011

By 

Discophage (France) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Joseph Martin Kraus: Symphonies (Audio CD)

Nothing to add to the previous reviews, except to say that I am an agreement with Craig M. Zeichner rather than with J. Scott Morrison about the excellence of Concerto Köln's reading. Admittedly, I don't have the recent Naxos versions on modern instruments he refers to, but the 30-second samples I've heard let me think that they are going to be thicker and less ebullient than the readings of Concerto Köln. Well, I'll try them eventually. But there is so much to hear (and Naxos has been particularly active in 18th Century symphonies).

Anyway, I'll simply provide here the links to the original releases (which is where I've posted my own detailed reviews), on Capriccio, dating from 1991 and 1992. The potential buyer might find it a cheaper solution to buy them individually rather than this new combined reissue.

vol. 1: Kraus, Joseph Martin or Joseph Martin Kraus - 4 Symphonies [4 Sinfonien] (Symphonies in C minor, E flat major, C major, and D major) or Joseph Martin Kraus 4 Symphonies / Concerto Koln (Capriccio)

vol. 2: Joseph Martin Kraus: Sinfonien, Vol. 2 or Joseph Martin Kraus: Sinfonien, Vol. 2 or Joseph Martin Kraus: Sinfonien, Vol. 2