Franz Danzi (1763-1826)
Wind Quintets, Op. 67 Nos. 1-3. Sonata for Horn and Piano in E flat major, Op. 28

In the mid-eighteenth century the city of Mannheim enjoyed an unrivalled reputation for its music. Described by the German writer Schubert as "the musical Athens of the German-speaking world," the city owed much of its fame to its court, "whose rays," according to Leopold Mozart, "illumine the whole of Germany, nay even the whole of Europe, like those of the sun." Central to the musical success of the court was its orchestra, which Leopold described as "undeniably the best in Europe", and which, according to Charles Burney, could boast "more solo players and good composers than any other orchestra in Europe." Under the direction of Johann Stamitz, this "army of generals, equally fit to plan a battle as to fight in it," was responsible for a number of developments in orchestral writing, bu