Sinfonia in Ab

The symphonies of Johann Baptist Wanhal (1739-1813), one of the most prolific and important of Haydn’s Viennese contemporaries, are among the most important works of their kind from the late-18th century. Bold and imaginative, powerful and lyrical, Wanhal’s symphonies are only now beginning to win wider recognition as the masterpieces they are. The magnificent Sinfonia Ab1, composed in all likelihood in Vienna about 1772-1773, is unique among Wanhal’s symphonies both on account of its key and the use of a horn soloist in the second movement. Although the work appears to have circulated reasonably widely in manuscript, it was never published in the composer’s lifetime. The choice of key is remarkable and might well reflect aesthetic considerations. However, it is also possible that it was chosen to compliment the gorgeous Eb second movement with its solo horn and muted strings. Technically, the work is a masterpiece on every level from its subtle control of musical organization to the quality and beauty of its thematic material.