Composer Of The Week

In a first for Composer of the Week, Donald Macleod surveys the life and music of Joseph Martin Kraus. Kraus has been called the Swedish Mozart; he was born in the same year as Mozart, in 1756, and survived him by just twelve months. Originally from Germany, Kraus found work as a composer based at the Swedish royal court and quickly came to be regarded as one of the leading music directors in all Europe. Haydn said that he knew of only two geniuses, Mozart and Joseph Martin Kraus.Music Featured: Soliman II Overture Miserere in C minor, VB 4 (excerpt) String Quartet in B flat major, VB 181 Sinfonie in C major, with Violin obligato, VB 138 Proserpin, VB 19 (Overture) Azire, VB 18 (excerpt) Sinfonie in C minor Flute Quintet (Largo & Allegro con brio) La Pesca, VB 44 Symphony in E flat major, VB 144 La Tempesta, VB 63 (Ma tut remi) Du temps, qui détruit tout, VB 58 Sonata in E flat major, VB 195 (Allegro ma non troppo presto) Riksdagsmarsch, VB 154 Piano Sonata in E major, VB 196 (Vivace) Soliman II (excerpts