Concerto Grosso in F

As Vivaldi’s posthumous reputation has tended to overshadow other Italian masters, countless German composers remain on the margins compared to Bach, Telemann, and Handel. For example, even though Johann David Heinichen (1683-1729) composed hundreds of sacred and secular works in the same genres as Bach, how many of his works are heard today? Heinichen even moved within the same orbit as Bach, preceding him at Leipzig’s Thomasschule (where he was a student) and also being hired by the Prince of Köthen before Bach took the same job five years later. Heinichen and Bach spent their mature years just 100 km apart in Dresden and Leipzig, respectively.
The Dresden connection would prove both boon and bane to Heinichen’s reputation. In Dresden, home to the Saxon court, he had many of Europe’s finest instrumentalists as cohabitants—something Bach could not claim. This all leads to a style that is vibrant, polished, and devoid of intricate polyphony. In addition, seven years spent in Venice could not help but infuse a touch of Vivaldi into Heinichen’s manner. Compared to Bach, Heinichen favored taste and variety in his work rather than counterpoint. A glittering work like the Concerto Grosso in F demonstrates all of these points. The third movement showcases a brilliant flute solo (flute virtuoso Johann Quantz worked in Dresden at the time), while the first and last movements prove that Heinichen also had fabulous horn players on hand.
The darker side of being based in Dresden takes us centuries forward. In February 1945 Allied bombing of the city caused a horrific firestorm. Countless treasures of art were destroyed in the span of a few days, including probably over half of Heinichen’s works. How precious, therefore, is a work like this concerto, which survives to bear witness to one of the Baroque’s nearly forgotten geniuses.

(c) Jason Stell