Krommer.: Symphonies Nos. 1 and 2 / Concertino

Franz Krommer served as court composer in Vienna under the Habsburg emperors, where he succeeded his Czech compatriot Leopold Kozeluch. He excelled in a wide range of musical genres, particularly string quartets and wind music, but also composed eight published symphonies as well as a number of concertos. In the recordings featured here, conductor Marek Stilec uses revised scores based on archival documents. Both the First and Second Symphonies are rich and powerful, featuring graceful trios and effervescent energy, and reveal an increasingly bold and experimental musical language. The charming Concertino is essentially a divertimento full of shifts in mood. Czech conductor Marek Stilec is known as an interpreter of the classical orchestral repertoire and a specialist in Czech Romantic and contemporary music. He has collaborated with orchestras around the world, including the Berliner Camerata, the Prague Philharmonic, and the Slovak Chamber Orchestra. A prolific recording artist, he has released over 40 albums. Founded in 1969, the Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra of Pardubice recently celebrated its fiftieth anniversary as one of the most important orchestras in the Czech Republic. It is a regular guest at the most prestigious music festivals in the Czech Republic. In addition, it performs on Europe’s most prominent concert stages and has also been a valued guest in the United States, China, Japan, and Kuwait. Its discography encompasses many different styles and is constantly expanding.