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Kraus and His Grand Tour

Donald Macleod finds Joseph Martin Kraus making musical friends right across Europe, as he undertakes an all-expenses-paid, five-year excursion around the continent.

Donald Macleod finds Joseph Martin Kraus making musical friends right across Europe, as he undertakes an all-expenses-paid, five-year excursion around the continent.

In a first for Composer of the Week, Donald Macleod surveys the life and music of Joseph Martin Kraus. Kraus has been called the Swedish Mozart; he was born in the same year as Mozart, in 1756, and survived him by just 12 months. Originally from Germany, Kraus found work as a composer based at the Swedish royal court and quickly came to be regarded as one of the leading music directors in all Europe. Haydn said that he knew of only two geniuses, Mozart and Joseph Martin Kraus.

In 1783, Joseph Kraus was mid-way through his Grand Tour, funded by King Gustav III of Sweden, when a letter arrived instructing Kraus to join his patron in Italy. Kraus was introduced to Pope Pius VI and also met the famed musical friar, Padre Martini. Martini insisted that Kraus had his portrait painted to join the gallery of important living composers that Martini was amassing. Kraus next made his way to France and stayed in Paris longer than he intended. It seems that, back in Sweden, various intrigues were under way and there was now a question as to whether Kraus would be allowed to return to his home in Stockholm.

La Pesca, VB 44
Simone Kermes, soprano
L’Arte Del Mondo
Werner Ehrhardt

Symphony in E flat major, VB 144
Concerto Köln
Werner Ehrhardt, conductor

La Tempesta, VB 63 (Ma tut remi)
Monica Groop, mezzo-soprano
Helsinki Baroque Orchestra
Aapo Häkkinen, conductor

Du temps, qui détruit tout, VB 58
Monica Groop, mezzo-soprano
Helsinki Baroque Orchestra
Aapo Häkkinen, conductor

Sonata in E flat major, VB 195 (Allegro ma non troppo presto)
Alexandra Oehler, piano

Produced by Luke Whitlock, for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales

59 minutes

Music Played

  • Joseph Martin Kraus

    La Pesca VB 44

    Performer: l’arte del mondo. Singer: Simone Kermes. Director: Werner Ehrhardt.
    • PHOENIX : 101.
    • PHOENIX.
    • 19.
  • Joseph Martin Kraus

    Symphony in E flat VB 144

    Ensemble: Concerto Köln. Director: Werner Ehrhardt.
    • PHOENIX : 242.
    • PHOENIX.
    • 4.
  • Joseph Martin Kraus

    La Tempesta, VB 63 (Ma, tu tremi)

    Singer: Monica Groop. Orchestra: Helsingin Barokkiorkesteri. Conductor: Aapo Häkkinen.
    • NAXOS : 8.-572865.
    • NAXOS.
    • 3.
  • Joseph Martin Kraus

    Du temps, qui detruit tout VB 58

    Singer: Monica Groop. Orchestra: Helsingin Barokkiorkesteri. Conductor: Aapo Häkkinen.
    • NAXOS : 8.-572865.
    • NAXOS.
    • 8.
  • Joseph Martin Kraus

    Piano Sonata No 2 in E flat major (Allegro ma non troppo presto)

    Performer: Alexandra Oehler.
    • ARS MUSICI : AM1326-2.
    • ARS MUSICI.
    • 16.

Broadcast

  • Wed 27 Jan 2021 12:00

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