Das Neue Mannheimer Orchester is proud to shed light on the golden age of music in Mannheim and Schwetzingen on period instruments during the formative years of Mozart from 1760–80. The namesake of this anthology “Army of Generals” comes from a quote by English musicologist Charles Burney, who visited Mannheim in 1772 and wrote: “There are more solo players and good composers in this, than perhaps in any other orchestra in Europe; it is an army of generals, equally fit to plan a battle, as to fight it.”

While Mannheim today is a relatively typical industrial city in southwest Germany, as the former capital of the Electorate of the Palatinate, it was regarded in the 18th century as a new “Athens on the Rhine.” This was due in part to the efforts of its ruler, Karl Theodor, who, unlike his many contemporary rulers who invested their treasury in war-making and territorial expansion, invested heavily in arts, culture, and sciences in this new golden age. Karl Theodor's orchestra was comprised of excellent virtuosos who performed as soloists in Europe’s musical capitals belonged. Leading figures such as the long-time concertmaster Christian Cannabich and the cellist Anton Fils, who died young, excelled as composers and brought out in their works the advantages of the orchestra, which seemed to others, such as Johann Christian, the youngest of the Bach sons, like a sound arcadia. Anton Schweitzer’s successful opera Alceste saw its best performances here. Niccolò Jommelli, a celebrity during his lifetime, retooled his Arcadia conservata for Schwetzingen. A visit so inspired Francesco di Majo that he wrote the opera Alessandro for Mannheim. 

Supported by the Gemeente Haarlem and the Adriana Jacoba Fonds. 

Program

Christain Cannabich (1731-1798): Symphony No. 50 in D minor. 
Allegro – Andante – Presto

Niccolò Jomelli (1714-1774): Aria "D'an van timore d'un vanti moreil freno" from L'arcadia conservata (Schwetzingen 1775)

Johann Christian Bach (1735-1782): Sinfonia concertante for keyboard, oboe, violin & cello in B flat major (1780)
Allegro – Adagio sostenuto – Rondo: Allegretto

Gian Francesco de Majo (1732-1770): Aria "Mio ben, ricordati" from Alessandro (Mannheim, 1766)

Intermission

Anton Schweitzer (1735-1787): Aria: "Zwischen Angst und zwischen Hoffen" from Alceste (Schwetzingen 1775)

Anton Fils (1733-1760): Simphonie périodique a piu stromenti No. 8 in G
Allegro – Andante – Minuetto – Allegro assai

Johann Christian Bach (1735-1782): Recitativo e Aria: “Anime, che provate” - "Queste selve gia d'amore" from Amor Vincitore with obbligato flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoon (Schwetzingen, 1774)

Featuring

Anders Muskens: Kapellmeister and fortepiano

Elisabeth Hetherington: soprano

Clara Sawada: Concertmaster and violin solo

Federico Forla: oboe solo

Florencia Gómez: flute solo

Elia Celegato: clarinet solo

Martin Jantzen: cello solo

Bernat Gili: bassoon solo

and Das Neue Mannheimer Orchester