Michi Gaigg - Holzbauer: 5 Symphonies (2000)

For more than 25 years Ignaz Holzbauer (1711-83) was the music director of the Court of Mannheim. Although his fame (and his appointment to his prestigious position) was the result of his operas, he also composed more than 205 symphonies and concertos of different kinds, most of which have been lost. The present release offers an interesting sampling of Holzbauer's large output. The Symphony in D major is in the style of early Haydn, yet features innovative compositional techniques--specifically tempo and key relationships--that anticipate Mozart's late symphonic works. The D minor symphony, the only one in a crowd of 40 D major symphonies, bears traces of Vivaldi in the first movement. The Overture to Holzbauer's opera Il figlio delle selve is presented here as the G major symphony in three distinguishable sections. The most compelling work in this collection is the Symphony in E-flat major with its juxtaposed tempos in the first movement, and a third movement that combines two minuets in one. Every piece on this disc has plenty to hold your attention and will keep you coming back. What's more, they receive brilliant and engaging performances by the L'Orfeo Barockorchester under the leadership of Michi Gaigg. CPO's clear and bright sound is the icing on the cake.