2019 Concert Series Haydn Nelson Mass | Page 4

Sinfonia a Quattro in A
Johann Stamitz (1717 - 1757)
Stamitz enjoyed considerable fame as a composer, with his most
significant compositions, including 58 symphonies and ten orchestral
trios, ranked amongst the most important early Classical symphonists.
Stamitz’s works were highly influential to Haydn and Mozart.
Johann Wenzel Anton Stamitz was born in Nemecký Brod, Bohemia
in 1717. He received his early musical education from his father and
later eventually left his university studies in order to become a violin
virtuoso, with Elector Carl Theodor engaging him as a musician at the
Mannheim Court. In this fertile intellectual and musical environment,
Johann Stamitz blossomed to rank among the most important early
Classical symphonists.
Around 1744, when aged in his late-20’s, Stamitz was promoted to the
post of leader of the Mannheim orchestra, and was lauded for raising it
to a standard unrivalled in its day throughout Europe for both precision
and scope of expression. Under Stamitz an explosion of the symphonic
form took place in Mannheim and the court orchestra, aptly described as
an army of generals, forever altered the course of orchestral repertoire
and performance with a style that transitioned between the Baroque
and Classical periods.
Yet despite Stamitz’s relative fame in his own time, to a large extent he
remained a shadowy figure, with his life and career shrouded in darkness
and the body of his compositions in chaos. Scholars commented on the
difficulty in cataloguing his entire collection of works largely due to the
different representations of his name: Václav Antonín Stamic, Johann
Wenzel Anton Stamitz, Stainmiz, Stamits, Steinmetz, Staimiz, Stamicas.
The Sinfonia a Quattro in A is formed in the standard 3-movement
symphonic scheme of the time: allegro-andante-presto. The energetic
and sensuous expression for which Stamitz was renowned can clearly be
heard through the engaging dynamic shifts and variety of musical textures.
© Heath Lees 2019
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