Here, Reinhard Goebel continues his fascinating exploration of works by Beethoven's contemporaries. The prolific composer Jan Ladislav Dussek (not to be confused with František Xaver Dušek, Mozart’s Czech friend) studied with Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach in Hamburg before moving to Paris. He left soon after due to the French Revolution to settle in London. It was there that he rubbed shoulders with Haydn, whose works were performed at the same time as his own.
The long-forgotten Viennese Anton Eberl was unanimously considered as one of the greatest composers of his time, on par with Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. One of his symphonies was chosen for the premiere of the “Eroica” Symphony in 1805 and his music comforted an audience who were somewhat confused by Beethoven’s novel music.
At the risk of repeating ourselves, we should once again acknowledge the gulf between these two Concertos for two pianos (composed according to the norms of that time) and Beethoven in order to fully understand the aesthetic revolution that the latter caused. Such a comparison is of course incredibly unfair and is only intended informatively, even if it sheds new light on the era. © François Hudry/Qobuz