Wanhal, Johann Baptist (1739-1813)

The symphonies of Johann Baptist Wanhal (1739-1813), one of the most prolific and important of Haydns Viennese contemporaries, are among the most important works of their kind from the late-18th century. Bold and imaginative, powerful and lyrical, Wanhals symphonies are only now beginning to win wider recognition as the masterpieces they are. The Sinfonia Bryan D17 is one of three symphonies published in 1780 as Op.10 by J.J. Hummel in Berlin. They were the last of Wanhals symphonies to be newly published and were probably composed ca 1779. D17 is one of Wanhals finest symphonies. From the haunting d minor introduction scored for strings (with muted violins) to the exuberant and brilliantly composed finale, the work is uniformly strong and quite the equal of any of Haydns symphonies of the period. Allan Badley