Sinfonia in C

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 sinfonia C3 is one of the earliest of Wanhal’s symphonies and was probably composed in 1760-62. The “No.1” on the title page of the copy from the Doksy collection helps to confirm that it is one of Wanhal’s earliest and that Wanhal might even have written it before he came to Vienna. C3 is in three-movement Overture style with “segue” indicated between the movements in several versions. The basic instrumentation probably called for strings plus a wind choir of two oboes, two horns, two trumpets (clarini) and timpani. However, some versions call only for clarini and other only for horns; some call for both and omit the timpani as is the case in this edition. Regardless, it is a brilliant and exciting symphony which must have caught the attention of soiree audiences during Wanhal’s first years in Vienna.