In a first for Composer of the Week, Donald Macleod surveys the life and music of Joseph Martin Kraus. Kraus has been called the Swedish Mozart; he was born in the same year as Mozart, in 1756, and survived him by just twelve months. Originally from Germany, Kraus found work as a composer based at the Swedish royal court and quickly came to be regarded as one of the leading music directors in all Europe. Haydn said that he knew of only two geniuses, Mozart and Joseph Martin Kraus.
Music Featured:
Soliman II Overture
Miserere in C minor, VB 4 (excerpt)
String Quartet in B flat major, VB 181
Sinfonie in C major, with Violin obligato, VB 138
Proserpin, VB 19 (Overture)
Azire, VB 18 (excerpt)
Sinfonie in C minor
Flute Quintet (Largo & Allegro con brio)
La Pesca, VB 44
Symphony in E flat major, VB 144
La Tempesta, VB 63 (Ma tut remi)
Du temps, qui détruit tout, VB 58
Sonata in E flat major, VB 195 (Allegro ma non troppo presto)
Riksdagsmarsch, VB 154
Piano Sonata in E major, VB 196 (Vivace)
Soliman II (excerpts from Act II (Nr.6) & Act III (Nr.16-19))
Funeral Cantata (Part One)
Cantata La Gelosia, VB46 (excerpt)
Symphony in C minor, VB 148 (Symphonie funèbre)
Funeral Cantata (Part Two)
String Quartet in E major, VB 180 (Allegretto)
Presented by Donald Macleod
Produced by Luke Whitlock for BBC Wales
For full track listings, including artist and recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for Joseph Martin Kraus (1756-1792) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000rltv
And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z
