Johann Friedrich Fasch: Concertos and Symphonies 1720 - 1758

Fasch is one of the most outstanding composers of Bach’s time. In the twentieth century, there have been varying opinions regarding Fasch’s styles and contribution. Hugo Riemann (one the founders of modern musicology) regarded Fasch as one of the most important pioneers of the “mixed taste” that combines Italian, French and German style components in the musical development process evolving from Baroque to Galant period. His compositions are deeply rooted in the musical world of the Vivaldi’s three movement style, rich in harmonies with masterful treatment of the wind instruments in the concertos and the orchestral suites of the late Dresden period. After Vivaldi and Telemann, Fasch seems to have been the most frequently performed German composer at the Dresden court, as a fruitful collaboration developed between Zerbst and Dresden courts, that lasted until the time of the Seven Years’ War. in D minor for two flutes, two oboes, two bassoons, strings and b. c. 00:00:00 I Allegro, FWV L:d7 00:04:15 II Andante, FWV L:d7 00:07:59 III Allegro, FWV L:d7 2. Overture (Suite) in G minor for three oboes, bassoon, strings and b. c., first movement of 7, without tempo indication 00:12:44 Overture FWV K:g2 (1/7) 3. Concerto in C minor for two oboes, bassoon, strings and b. c. 00:22:29 I Allegro, FWV L:c2 00:26:26 II Largo, FWV L:c2 00:29:12 III Allegro, FWV L:c2 4. Concerto in D minor for oboe, violin, strings and b. c. 00:31:42 I Vivace, FWV L:d4 00:34:44 II Largo, FWV L:d4 00:37:12 III Allegro, FWV L:d4 5. Symphonia in A minor for strings and b. c. 00:40:33 I Allegro, FWV M:a1 00:43:41 II Andantino con sardinie piano, FWV M:a1 00:47:09 III Allegro, FWV M:a1 6. Concerto in G minor for oboe, strings and basso continuo 00:50:02 I Vivace, FWV L:g1 00:53:09 II Largo, FWV L:g1 00:55:58 III Allegro, FWV L:g1 7. Ouverture (Suite) in E minor for two oboes, bassoon, strings and b. c. 00:59:35 Ouverture FWV K:e1 (1/6) Performed by: il Gardellino: 1, 4, 6 Il Fondamento: 2 Zefiro Baroque: 3 Main-Barockorchester Frankfurt: 5 Cappella Coloniensis: 7 A particularly outstanding performance venue for Fasch’s works was the Dresden court of the Elector Friedrich August I and his son F. August II. Fasch became the unofficial court composer for the Dresden court orchestra and in 1727, the Zerbst court enabled him to study in Dresden for several months, during which Fasch became better acquainted with the musicians of the Dresden court orchestra through Pisendel and the Heinichen. On the basis of the Dresden music making style and music aesthetic, Fasch developed his own personal compositional style that set him apart. As a rule, Fasch sent self-made copies of the scores of his works to Dresden, from which the Dresden music copyists copied out the individual parts for performances by the court orchestra. This means that most of his surviving instrumental works worldwide have been preserved in the sheet music archive of the Dresden court orchestra and the music department of the Saxon State Library. Together with the Zerbst concertmaster Carl Hoeckh, Fasch taught, among others, the composer and later Mecklenburg-Schwerin court music director Johann Wilhelm Hertel and his own son Carl Friedrich Christian Fasch, later a student of C. P. E. Bach. In the beginning of his professional career, Fasch held several brief positions: violinist in Bayreuth, organist in Greiz, and six months in the employ of one Count Morzin (Bohemian aristocrat from the Morzin family, from northeastern Italian region of Friuli, remembered today as the first person to employ the composer Joseph Haydn as his Kapellmeister, and the one who was Vivaldi’s patron, and dedicatee of “The Four Seasons“). By 1722, Fasch had apparently established a solid reputation that extended beyond Saxony and he was one of several musicians invited to apply for the vacant Thomas-Kantorat in Leipzig, a position eventually awarded to the J. S. Bach. While Fasch was at Zerbst, his works were transcribed and performed by Telemann, Pisendel, . Bach, and J.S. Bach. His son, Carl F. C. Fasch, also established a musical career serving as harpsichordist to Frederick the Great. On the cover: East wing of the Zerbst Castle, in the town of Zerbst, Saxony-Anhalt, where Fasch lived and worked as the court’s Kapellmeister for over 36 years from 1722 until his death in 1758. Zerbst Castle was a childhood home of Catherine the Great (born Princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst). The 13-year-old Princess Sophie from 1742 to 1744, in Zerbst became acquainted with Fasch’s music and received musical instructions from him. In 1945, during British and American bombing raids on the cities of the State of Saxony, civilians perished and Zerbst Castle with its State Archives and Fasch collections, burned out completely. Since 1945 castle stays in this state. Deutsch: Русский: