Virtuoso oboe concertos
Fischer and Stamitz

Description

Continuing in our Forgotten Treasures tradition of featuring the Kölner Akademie’s wind players, this recording offers performances of unknown oboe concertos. It was a special treat for me to be able to record this music by Johann Christian Fischer and Carl Stamitz with the multi talented oboist and saxophone player Michael Niesemann.

Fischer, who started his career in Dresden, toured Europe extensively (the nine-year-old Mozart heard him play and composed a set of variations based on a Minuet by Fischer!) and eventually wound up in London. He performed there with several of his other German musical compatriots including Carl Friedrich Abel and Johann Christian Bach.

Fischer was briefly married to the daughter of his friend Thomas Gainsborough, who painted Fischer’s portrait. Sadly the marriage did not last and Fischer had to leave London as he was not able to find steady employment there.

The two concertos of his that are featured on this recording show the influence of Fischer’s time in London. One of the concertos even has a movement based on an old english folksong!

There is plenty to discover and enjoy here, so go ahead, have a listen!

Virtuoso oboe concertos: Fischer and Stamitz
Forgotten Treasures Vol. 7, ARS-Produktion

Kölner Akademie
Michael Alexander Willens, conductor