Stamitz, Johann

Stamitz, Johann – The Periodical Overture in 8 parts No. 3, Sinfonia Pastorale

(German translation not available)
Published by Robert Bremner at the Harp and Hautboy, opposite Somerset-House, in the Strand Issued: 31 August 1763; price 2 shillings
Source: Henry Watson Music Library – Courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council: BR580St3
Editors: Barnaby Priest & Alyson McLamore

Although the first two issues in the Periodical Overture series reflected composers trained in the Italian operatic tradition, Robert Bremner (c.1713– 1789) turned to a leading member of the Mannheim School of orchestral music for his third publication, the “Sinfonia Pastorale” by Johann Stamitz (1717–1757). Stamitz had moved to Mannheim from his native Bohemia around 1741, joining the court ensemble as a violinist. On the last day of 1742, Elector Carl Philipp died, and his successor, Carl Theodor, proved to be a generous patron of the arts. Within three years, Stamitz was earning 900 gulden, making him the highest-paid instrumentalist in the Mannheim court, and in 1750, a new post was created for him: “Director of Instrumental Music.”1

The international reputation of the Mannheim orchestra soon soared, celebrated for its precision and exciting dynamic effects. Even after Stamitz’s death, the ensemble maintained its stellar reputation for decades. In 1772, Charles Burney famously described the ensemble as “an army of generals, equally fit to plan a battle, as to fight it,” since its membership included “more solo players and good composers . . . than perhaps in any other orchestra in Europe.”2 Indeed, several other members of the ensemble were represented in Bremner’s series, and some of them had been Stamitz’s former composition students, such as Christian Cannabich (1731–1798), Anton Fils (1733–1760), and Ignaz Fränzl (1736–1811).3 …

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