"One of the unusual phenomena of 18th century European music is the compositional activity of musical families. The best known are the Bachs and Mozarts, but Czech families such as the Stamitzes and Bendas also hold a prominent place in the history of musical Classicism. The founder and most significant artistic personality of the Stamitz (or in Czech, Stamic) family was Jan Václav Stamic (1717-1757). (...) his career began to shine in 1745 when he became 1st Violin and musical director of the court orchestra in Manheim. (...) He introduced clarinets into orchestra, implemented a number of dynamic effects, among them the crescendo and decrescendo (...). Carl Stamic (1746-1801) was the oldest of Jan Václav's five children. (...) He also followed in his father's footsteps as a composer, writing mainly symphonies and instrumental concertos. (...) Least is known about the life of Carl's young brother Anton Stamitz. (...) He wrote symphonies and concertos (...) All three Stamitzes were virtuoso violists and wrote viola concertos; the father wrote two and both of his sons wrote three. (...)
[Jaroslav Smolka in the booklet]
Carl Stamitz (1745-1801):
Concrto for Viola and Orchestra in D major, op.1
Jan Václav Stamic (1717-1757):
Concerto for Viola and Orchestra in G major
Anton Stamitz (1750-?)
Concerto for Viola and Orchestra in B flat major
Jan Pěruška - viola
Prague Philharmonia
Jiří Bělohlávek - conductor
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