Although London was a highly prestigious musical center in the 18th century, the English composers who marked this period are relatively unknown to the general public. The London public was very receptive to sounds from the continent. Even today, we more easily associate the names of Italian, Austrian, and German musicians with the British capital. First and foremost among them is Georg Friedrich Händel, who lived there for over forty years. But there was also Johann Christian Bach, who spent the last twenty years of his life there, from 1762 onwards, and Joseph Haydn who, after almost thirty years in the service of the Eszterházy court, stayed in London for two long periods in the 1790s, composing a dozen symphonies and various chamber music pieces. In this concert by the Metropolitan Soloists, we can hear two flute quartets by the “English Bach,” who, of Johann Sebastian’s four musician sons, strayed furthest stylistically. In between, two of Haydn’s four London Trios are performed, which are, in practice, Divertimentos, instrumental pieces intended for private social situations to entertain both those who attended and those who played.
London
Solistas da Metropolitana
J. C. Bach Quartet with Flute in C Major, W.B 58
J. Haydn London Trio No. 3, Hob.IV:3
J. Haydn London Trio No. 1, Hob.IV:1
J. C. Bach Quartet with Flute in F Major, W.B 54
Janete Santos flute
Ana Pereira violin
Joana Cipriano viola
Catarina Gonçalves cello
