Today in L’esprit baroque: music from Austrian composer Johann Heinrich Schmelzer.
Schmelzer was born between 1620 and 1623 and died in 1680. He was appointed at the royal court in Vienna and Prague, at first as violinist and later also as composer, where he mostly wrote instrumental music – mainly balletmusic, suites and sonatas.
Johann Heinrich Schmelzer (1620/1623 – 1680)
From: Sacro-profanus concentus musicus (1662)
1 Sonata no 3 a sei
2 Sonata no 4 a sei
3 Sonata no 5 a sei
4 Balletto a quatro ‘Die Fechtschule’
5 Polnische Sackpfeiffen
Ensemble Masques conducted by Olivier Fortin
(CD: J.H. Schmelzer – Sacro-profanus sonatas. ZigZag Territoires ZZT334, 2013)
From: Sonatae unarum fidium seu a violino solo (1664)
6 Sonata quarta in D major
7 Sonata quinta in c minor
Hélène Schmitt, violin; Jan Krigovsky, violone; Stephan Rath, theorbo; Jörg Andreas Bötticher, harpsichord, organ
(CD: Johann Heinrich Schmelzer – Sonatae a violino solo. Alpha 109, 2007)
8 Sonata “Cucu” for violin and basso continuo, in A major
From: Arie con la mattacina a 4 in D major,
9 Balletto 1
Meret Lüthi, violin; Les Passions de l’Âme
(CD: Schabernack : A Treasure Trove of Musical Jokes. Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 88985415492, 2017)
Image: Johann Heinrich Schmelzer (Source: Wikimedia C)
