Friedrich Schwindl: Syms [CD]

Completely forgotten today, Friedrich Schwindl (1737 - 1786) was a highly esteemed violinist and composer in his time. His name appears repeatedly in the writings of Leopold Mozart, Charles Burney, and Daniel Schubart, yet his biography can only be reconstructed in a very fragmentary way. Born in Amsterdam, the stages of his life can be traced along the Rhine, from the Netherlands to Switzerland. The focus of his work was instrumental music, especially symphonies, of which 31 survive. They are influenced by the compositions of the Mannheim School but have a more folk-like character. A fascinating discovery of music history, brought to life virtuously and authentically by the musicians of the L'Arte del Mondo orchestra under Werner Ehrhardt.