This is the latest in the Chandos series:
Music by Contemporaries of Mozart. Releases
in this series have been somewhat thin
on the ground recently, and it is good
to welcome this disc, The idea behind
it is a good one, and it gives us the
opportunity to encounter repertoire
we would not otherwise hear.
The production values
of the series have been well maintained.
The recording has been done close-up
enough so that we can hear everything
that is going on within the orchestra
yet sufficient space has been allowed
for us to hear the glowing acoustic
of the church.
In addition the playing
and direction of the London Mozart Players
is beyond reproach. They play with considerable
sympathy for the repertoire. The only
slightly spooky feature of the disc
is the photograph of the conductor,
looking as though he is a refugee from
an old Hammer movie.
The booklet tells of
how Hoffmeister was an also-ran in the
composer stakes in the 1800s Vienna.
While this might be a reasonably accurate
assessment of the composer’s work, if
one listens to these symphonies in their
own right, unclouded by critical babble
about other composers they are extremely
attractive and well written. They might
not display the sheer thematic development
of Mozart and Haydn but they are well
worth resurrecting for our pleasure.
In addition to being
a composer, Hoffmeister was also a very
successful music publisher. His publishing
house handled Haydn, Mozart, Vanhal,
Albrechtsberger, Pleyel and others,
as well as his own music. The publishing
company founded by Hoffmeister was a
forerunner of a firm which still exists
today in the form of C.F. Peters. This
took much of his effort and was a more
important activity than composing. This
is a pity since who can tell what we
might have bestowed on us had he continued
composing.
There are three symphonies
on this disc: two early works, and one
from his maturity. The Symphonies in
E major and D major are the two early
works. Each has strong melodic content,
sparkling outer movements, graceful
minuets and very attractive melancholic
slow movements. Both were published
by Breitkopf of Leipzig and listening
to them one may understand why Hoffmeister
was so popular with his audiences.
The Symphony in G major,
is a later and more substantial work,
written to commemorate the signing of
a peace treaty with Turkey by the Emperor
Leopold II on 4 August 1791. The last
movement includes "Turkish music",
so beloved of composers like Mozart
and Haydn. This is written for cymbals,
triangle and bass drum and is used very
effectively. It is interesting to note
that this is the same instrumental combination
which Haydn was to use so successfully
in his Military Symphony, No. 100, just
a few years after Hoffmeister had used
the very same combination.
Chandos are to be congratulated
for providing such an enterprising and
interesting series and for ensuring
that it is in such capable hands. Until
this disc appeared I had thought that
Chandos had dropped the project. Let
us hope that many more follow – it is
up to you. Only if they are purchased
in sufficient numbers will the record
companies invest in this type of project.
John Phillips
London Mozart Players/Mathias Bamert 
