Presents
Jan Baptist Vanhal
Divertimento in G Major for String Trio, W. Vlb:13-New Edition
Jan Baptist Vanhal (1739-1813 also spelled Vanhall, Wanhal, Wanhall) was born in the Bohemian town of Nechanice, then part of the Habsburg Empire. His initial studies were with a local musician, but later he moved to Vienna where he studied violin and composition with Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf. He also learned both the cello and bass and became so proficient that he was able to play the cello part in a quartet which consisted of Dittersdorf on first violin, Haydn on second violin and Mozart on the viola. Vanhal tailored his output to economic realities of the day and composed, as did most of his contemporaries, a huge number of compositions in virtually every genre, including some 70 symphonies and numerous operas. A considerable part of his output was for various chamber ensembles and he is thought to have composed more than 90 string quartets not to mention dozens of other chamber works. Today he is remembered mostly for his double bass concerto, but during his lifetime and for most of the first part of the 19th century, several of his works were quite popular. Mozart frequently performed one of his violin concertos in concert. Along with Haydn, Vanhal’s works influenced and shaped Mozart’s ideas and compositions.
Judging from the style of the music, the Divertimento in G Major for String Trio was composed sometime in the early 1780s. Copies of the manuscript can be found in the national libraries of Austria in Vienna, of France in Paris and of the Czech Republic in Prague, but the work remained unpublished until the last quarter of the 20th century. Our edition is based on these sources. The title suggests this was meant to be lighter, entertainment music. In five movements, it opens and closes with an Allegro. There are two minuets separated by a lovely Adagio.
This is a pleasant work, sounding good and easy to play, as such it can be warmly recommended to amateurs and students looking for an effective work to bring to a concert.
Parts: $19.95
Parts & Score: $24.95
