Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach: Hamburger Sinfonien, Wq. 182 Stuttgarter Kammerorchester & Wolfram Christ

• Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714 - 1788): Sinfonia in G Major, Wq. 182/1, H. 657:
• 1 Sinfonia in G Major, Wq. 182/1, H. 657: I. Allegro di molto 03:26
• 2 Sinfonia in G Major, Wq. 182/1, H. 657: II. Poco adagio 03:27
• 3 Sinfonia in G Major, Wq. 182/1, H. 657: III. Presto 03:48
• Sinfonia in B-Flat Major, Wq. 182/2, H. 658:
• 4 Sinfonia in B-Flat Major, Wq. 182/2, H. 658: I. Allegro di molto 03:22
• 5 Sinfonia in B-Flat Major, Wq. 182/2, H. 658: II. Poco adagio 02:24
• 6 Sinfonia in B-Flat Major, Wq. 182/2, H. 658: III. Presto 04:49
• Sinfonia in C Major, Wq. 182/3, H. 659:
• 7 Sinfonia in C Major, Wq. 182/3, H. 659: I. Allegro assai 02:45
• 8 Sinfonia in C Major, Wq. 182/3, H. 659: II. Adagio 03:17
• 9 Sinfonia in C Major, Wq. 182/3, H. 659: III. Allegretto 05:37
• Sinfonia in A Major, Wq. 182/4, H. 660:
• 10 Sinfonia in A Major, Wq. 182/4, H. 660: I. Allegro ma non troppo 04:23
• 11 Sinfonia in A Major, Wq. 182/4, H. 660: II. Largo ed innocentamente 03:51
• 12 Sinfonia in A Major, Wq. 182/4, H. 660: III. Allegro assai 04:11
• Sinfonia in B Minor, Wq. 182/5, H. 661:
• 13 Sinfonia in B Minor, Wq. 182/5, H. 661: I. Allegretto 04:22
• 14 Sinfonia in B Minor, Wq. 182/5, H. 661: II. Larghetto 02:43
• 15 Sinfonia in B Minor, Wq. 182/5, H. 661: III. Presto 03:46
• Sinfonia in E Major, Wq. 182/6, H. 662:
• 16 Sinfonia in E Major, Wq. 182/6, H. 662: I. Allegro di molto 02:16
• 17 Sinfonia in E Major, Wq. 182/6, H. 662: II. Poco andante 03:22
• 18 Sinfonia in E Major, Wq. 182/6, H. 662: III. Allegro spirituoso 03:30
• Total Runtime 01:05:19

Info for Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach: Hamburger Sinfonien, Wq. 182

In honor of CPE Bach's 300th birthday, hänssler CLASSIC will be releasing an exciting series of recordings dedicated to the music of this well known but hitherto neglected Bach son during the first 3 months of 2014. At the beginning there are the so-called "Hamburg" symphonies Wq 182, interpreted with great sensitivity and bite, when necessary, by the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra under the renowned conductor and former violist of the Berlin Philharmonic, Wolfram Christ. Maestro Christ sees these works as expressive pieces, open to multiple interpretations that invite the listener to experience them as almost Romantic in their gesture and content. Deciding on a fortepiano continuo instrument is not only a historically informed decision, but contributes to a perfectly balanced overall sound.

„The Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra are obviously in good hands with Wolfram Christ providing such lithe and exhilarating performances that bring many rewards.“ (Classical Reviewer)

The musical avant-gardist of his era: “City air sets you free!” It brought a glimmer of hope to runaway serfs in the Middle Ages, but this old adage might also be ap- plied to the sphere of eighteenth-century culture – especially in the wealthy Hanseatic city of Hamburg. According to an anonymous letter writer in 1708, “One who comes to Hamburg in the hope of earning his keep from music and desiring to see how one can live without the princely knout, is well accommodated here and will, with a little diligence, always find a livelihood, even if the purses of merchants are often just as tight as those of great princes.” And Georg Philipp Telemann, who directed music in Hamburg for forty-seven years and died there, remarked: “Those who seek security must settle in a republic” when explaining why he had avoided serving princely courts (although he diligently composed freelance for the Darmstadt court of the Landgrave of Hesse). …

Stuttgarter Kammerorchester
Wolfram Christ, direction

Wolfram Christ
long-time first Principal Viola with the Berlin Philharmonic, Principal Viola of the Lucerne Festival Orchestra and Professor at Hochschule für Musik Freiburg, has become highly regarded as a conductor epitomising sincerity and musical integrity.

Praised for his exhilarating and sensitive interpretations, Wolfram Christ has already worked with orchestras on five continents, including the Munich and Scottish Chamber Orchestras, the Royal Danish Orchestra Copenhagen, the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Mozart of Bologna, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Basque National Orchestra San Sebastián, Simón Bolívar Orchestra Caracas, Auckland Philharmonia, KZN Philharmonic Orchestra Durban, Kansai Philharmonic Orchestra, the German Radio Philharmonic Saarbrücken, Camerata Madrid and the South West German Chamber Orchestra Pforzheim.

Between 2004 and 2008 Wolfram Christ was Principal Conductor of the Kurpfalz Chamber Orchestra Mannheim. Throughout this time he led the ensemble to a period of increased concert activity at home and abroad, and collaborated with internationally established soloists such as Sabine Meyer, Emmanuel Pahud, and Renaud Capuçon.

Wolfram Christ enjoys a long-term relationship with Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, and held the post of First Guest conductor of the ensemble from 2009 to 2013. Highlights from his tenure include appearances at the Schleswig-Holstein and Lucerne Festivals in 2011, an extended tour of South America in 2012 as well as a project with pianist Hélène Grimaud in 2013.

Released in early 2014 on the hänssler CLASSIC label, Wolfram Christ’s recording of C.P.E. Bach’s Hamburg Symphonies with Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra has received international critical acclaim and is widely regarded as the finest performance of these works. The disc has been described by Classics Today as “gripping… hands down, the best version of these remarkable pieces yet recorded” and as “interpreted with great sensitivity and bite, when necessary” by Presto Classical.

Booklet for Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach: Hamburger Sinfonien, Wq. 182