Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf
Carl Ditters (sometimes spelled Karl) was born near Vienna, Austria, November 2, 1739. He started learning violin at age seven and, by the time he was twelve, he was playing with the orchestra of Prince von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. While there he studied violin with Francesco Trani and composition with Giuseppe Bonno. In 1761 he started work with the Imperial Court orchestra which played for the court theater. This experience, though it paid him significantly less, gave him the opportunity to observe theater and influence his operatic compositions. He became friends with fellow composer Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714–1787) and went on tour with him in 1763. In 1764 he took a position as Kapellmeister (chapel master) to the court of Adam Patachich, a Hungarian nobleman and the Bishop of Grosswardein in Hungary. During his five years there, he wrote his first operas and oratorio and other vocal and chamber works.
In 1770 he became the court composer at Johannisberg (near Javornik, Czech Republic) for Schaffgotsch, Prince-Bishop of Breslau. This would be his home for the next twenty years. In 1773, the prince gave him the position of Amtshauptmann (district administrator) of Freiwaldau and, to be able to take the position, he was raised to the rank of noble, which is when von Dittersdorf was added to his name. He was quite successful here with his compositions and spent time in the 1780s traveling to Vienna. His most popular opera Der Apotheker und der Doktor (The Apothecary and the Doctor) was performed in Vienna in 1786 and was performed many times internationally afterwards.
He composed about 45 operas, at least 120 symphonies, chamber music (including string quartets), and about 40 concerti (including some for violin, flute, harp, harpsichord, and double bass). In 1795 he accepted an from Baron Ignaz von Stillfried to live and compose at his spare castle in southern Bohemia. While there he mostly worked to produce and edit his works and wrote his autobiography, which he finished three days before he died on October 24, 1799. Although he was incredibly popular during his lifetime, his works didn't retain their fame like his classical contemporaries Haydn and Mozart. His works have been described as lighthearted and sentimental, and sometimes included material from folksongs.
I found information for this biography on the following websites which I accessed on July 9, 2016: encyclopedia.com, britannica.com, and hoasm.org.
In 1770 he became the court composer at Johannisberg (near Javornik, Czech Republic) for Schaffgotsch, Prince-Bishop of Breslau. This would be his home for the next twenty years. In 1773, the prince gave him the position of Amtshauptmann (district administrator) of Freiwaldau and, to be able to take the position, he was raised to the rank of noble, which is when von Dittersdorf was added to his name. He was quite successful here with his compositions and spent time in the 1780s traveling to Vienna. His most popular opera Der Apotheker und der Doktor (The Apothecary and the Doctor) was performed in Vienna in 1786 and was performed many times internationally afterwards.
He composed about 45 operas, at least 120 symphonies, chamber music (including string quartets), and about 40 concerti (including some for violin, flute, harp, harpsichord, and double bass). In 1795 he accepted an from Baron Ignaz von Stillfried to live and compose at his spare castle in southern Bohemia. While there he mostly worked to produce and edit his works and wrote his autobiography, which he finished three days before he died on October 24, 1799. Although he was incredibly popular during his lifetime, his works didn't retain their fame like his classical contemporaries Haydn and Mozart. His works have been described as lighthearted and sentimental, and sometimes included material from folksongs.
I found information for this biography on the following websites which I accessed on July 9, 2016: encyclopedia.com, britannica.com, and hoasm.org.
Sinfonia Concertante for Viola, Double Bass, and Orchestra
I. Allegro 00:28 II. Menuetto 06:15 III. Allegro ma non troppo 09:05 Concert organized by A+música in Madrid Auditorio Nacional - Sala de Cámara Cristina Cordero, viola Miguel Pliego, double bass Andrés Segovia Chamber Orchestra Víctor Ambroa, conductor 21/09/17 - Madrid - Spain |
Sinfonia Concertante for Viola, Double Bass, and Orchestra
Hossam El din Ra'fat, Viola Kareem Adnan, Double Bass Tarek Mahran, conductor Cairo Symphony Orchestra |