Pavel Vranický (Wranitzky): Symphony in D Major, Op.16 No.3, Howard Griffiths (conductor)

Pavel Vranický (Paul Wranitzky) — Symphony in D Major, Op.16 No.3, Howard Griffiths & Münchener Kammerorchester
I.Allegro – 00:00
II. Adagio non troppo – 07:34
III. Finale. Presto – 12:40
„Pavel Vranický (1756-1808) was born in Nová Říše, Moravia, into a middle-class family of landowning innkeepers. Both he and his brother, Antonín Vranický (1761-1820), received their first lessons in music at the Premonstratensian Monastery grammar school in their home town. Pavel studied the organ, harpsichord, violin, and viola as a youngster before moving on to the Jesuit gymnasium at Jihlava in 1770. He continued his musical training there, along with his general education, for a year. In 1771 he moved to Olomouc (Olmütz) to study theology, which he had taken an interest in while studying at Jihlava. He never did relinquish his musical inclinations, and it was at this time that Vranický became known as an excellent violinist. He moved to Vienna in 1776 to continue his studies at a theological seminary, and made a living as a choir master to a local church. It was at this time that he, like so make other expatriates like him, that he Germanized his name to Paul Wranitzky . He clearly showed a strong interest in a professional musical career, and by the early 1780s, had given up his religious training. At this time he met Joseph Martin Kraus, 1756-1792, Kapellmästare (=Kapellmeister) to the court of Gustav III, the Swedish king, and studied music with him. In the spring of 1784 Wranitzky was appointed to the position of musikdirektor (music director) to the court of the Hungarian nobleman Count Johann Nepomuk Esterházy in Galantha. It was at this time that he met Joseph Haydn, Kapellmeister to the court of Prince Nikolaus Esterházy at Eisenstadt. Though some claims have been made that Wranitzky studied with "Papa" Haydn, they have not been substantiated.
Wranitzky remained in the center of Viennese musical life for the rest of his life. As a well-established and respected composer, conductor, and violinist, his works were published and released all over Europe. He was invited to the coronation festivities of Leopold II in 1790, where he presented a gala performance of his widely acclaimed opera, Oberon , which had been a huge success in Vienna. He was also a valued member of the musical department of Emperor Franz II, who he wrote a coronation symphony for in 1792. The empress, Marie Therese, considered him one of her favorite composers, especially of symphonies. It was these symphonies, along with his stage works, that earned him such a reputation. He was frequently commissioned to write symphonies and similar orchestral works for royal events. The products of these commissions represent some of his finest work, and certainly may be held in comparison to the works of Haydn and even Mozart, both of whom were intimate friends.” (Wranitzky Project, by Robert Bonkowski)