If maestro Frank Hauk had his way, Johann Simon Mayr would be known for more than just being Gaetano Donizetti’s music teacher. Mayr, in his day, was a major figure. He wrote 19 masses, 57 symphonies, over 70 operas — most of which are now all but forgotten. Is Mayr’s music forgettable? Hauk would disagree. […]
Johann Simon Mayr
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Johann Simon Mayr piano concertos on par with Haydn’s
The German composer Johann Simon Mayr dominated the music scene in northern Italy in the early 1800s. He was the maestro di cappella at the Cathedral of Bergamo and wrote a prodigious amount of music: over 70 operas, 18 masses, and 57 symphonies. Today, he’s best known (if at all) as Gaetano Donizetti’s teacher. This […]
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Johann Simon Mayr – Missa in C justly revived
Johann Simon Mayr wrote almost 70 operas over 600 sacred works. Only a few have been performed since his death in 1845. Based on the quality of the music in this new release, it’s not the quality of the compositions. “One recognizes the hand of the master in everything, and this work will always remain […]