Sinfonia in D

Franz Beck (1734-1809), the most talented of Johann Stamitz’s pupils, led a colourful and eventful life. Fleeing Mannheim after fighting a duel with a jealous rival, he moved to Venice. After eloping with his patron’s daughter, he finally ended up in France where he lived for nearly fifty years. Beck’s symphonies have long been admired by scholars for their technical resource, startling use of bold harmonies and dramatic intensity. One of Beck’s later symphonies, Callen 30 makes skilful use of its expanded orchestral palette and, like its author’s other symphonies, contains many fascinating and quirky musical details.