Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra, op. 4 - Antonín Kraft (edited by Jakub Michl)

21. květen 2012

Antonín Kraft (1749–1820)was considered one of the best cellists of his time. The first Concerto for cello and orchestra C major is the fourth of Kraft’s published compositions. The single source for the publication of Kraft’s cello concerto C major, op. 4 was an undated print of the solo part and the orchestral voices published by Breitkopf & Härtel in Leipzig that is stored at the Saxon State Library in Dresden. Kraft’s compositional style was significantly influenced by his teacher Haydn, not only in terms of melody, but also as far as the formal outline of the composition is concerned.

The print of the composition must have been published between the years 1809 and 1814, which was the period when Kraft´s son Mikuláš was employed at the k. & k. Court Theatre at the Carinthian Gate (Kärtnertortheater). Mikuláš had the piece printed in Leipzig where he had performed in 1802 and where he might have developed valuable contacts on the occasion. It is reasonable to assume that the publication and the dedication of the concerto might have been – particularly before the year 1814 – had much to do with the effort to cement the relationship with such a donor as Count Moritz von Fries. The contact to the count might have been initiated by Beethoven himself, the count’s personal acquaintance, who maintained a steady interest in the well-being of the ageing and diseased cellist Kraft, and who tried to help his friend in many ways to ease the existential difficulties he was facing due to his low income. Whether or not the dedication had any effect whatsoever on the count remains a question unanswered by the period testimonies.

Parts only for hire at nakladatelstvi@rozhlas.cz

Other compositions by Antonín Kraft published in Czech Radio:
Concerto C major for Violoncello and Orchestra "Seydl" (score)
Concerto C major for Violoncello and Orchestra "Seydl" (parts)

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