Austrian composer, Joseph Wölfl is a new composer to CPO and they welcome him into their catalogue by presenting three world première recordings of his Piano Concertos.

Wölfl was a pupil of Leopold Mozart and was a much talked about performer in his day. His keyboard skills amazed music experts, and in 1799 the Allgemein Musikalische Zeitung published a report concerning Vienna’s most important pianists ranking Wölfl alongside the likes of Beethoven which fuelled the friendly rivalry between the two composers.

Beethoven and Wölfl were of the same generation, but Wölfl probably saw himself above all as continuing the traditions of Mozart and Haydn.

Nobody would have tried to deny Wölfl’s genius at the time, the fourth Piano Concerto known as ‘The Calm’ was particularly popular and was performed in many concerts in the first two months after its premiere. Sadly a lot of his works have long disappeared from concert and recording repertoire which is why CPO are pleased to present the works of this forgotten composer.