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Georg Anton (Jiří Antonín) Benda (1722-1795)

"[B]oth are really excellent. You know that of all the Lutheran Kapellmeisters, Benda has always been my favorite, and I like those two works of his so much that I carry them about with me." -- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in a letter to his father in November 1778, referring to G.A. Benda's melodramas Medea and Ariadne auf Naxos (both 1775). (Translation from Timothy Roberts' liner notes to his Hyperion CD.)

Franz (František) Benda (1709-1786)

Recordings

C.P.E. Bach, Georg Benda, Johann Christoph Altnickol (1719-1759). Geistliche Kantaten. Capriccio 67.192 (1 CD, April 2007). Details. Hermann Max, Rheinische Kantorei, Das Kleine Konzert. Barbara Schlick, soprano; Hilke Helling, mezzo-soprano; Harry van der Kamp, bass. UK | FR | DE | JP

Georg Anton (Jiří Antonín) Benda (1722-1795). Complete Harpsichord Sonatas. Praga Digitals (4 CDs, January 2007). Sylvia Georgieva, harpsichord. UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Benda: Harpsichord Concertos [Digital Sound] [SACD]

Georg Anton Benda. Harpsichord Concertos. cpo 777088-2 (1 CD 2005). Sabine Bauer, harpsichord. Michael Schneider, La Stagione Frankfurt. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Georg Anton Benda. Harpsichord Concertos. Arta F10133 (1 CD 2005). Václav Luks, harpsichord. Collegium 1704. Details.

Georg Anton Benda. Sonatas for Harpsichord. Hungaroton HCD 32080 (1 CD 2002). Details. András Szepes, harpsichord by Balazs Kováts & Zsolt Szabó after Delin. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

These sonatas are from Benda's six-volume Sammlung vermischter Clavierstücke für geübte und ungeübte Spieler (Collection of miscellaneous keyboard pieces for experienced and inexperienced players), printed between 1780 and 1787. Both Leopold and Wolfgang Mozart were subscribers.

Sonata in G Major (Sammlung I. - 1780) 14'23"
I. Allegro 6'49"
II. Andante yuasi allegretto 3'28"
III. Andantino 4'02"

Sonata in C major (Sammlung ITI. - c. 1782) 12'35"
I. Mezzo allegro 4'20"
II. Largo 4'11"
III. Allegro assai 4'01"

Sonata in F major (Sammlung IV. - c. 1784) 12'18"
I. Allegro assai moderato 4'22"
II. Andantino un poco larghetto 4'13"
III. Allegro 3'40"

Sonata in c minor (Sammlung IV - c. 1784) 10'21"
I. Allegro ma non troppo 3'34"
II. Andante 2'31"
III. Allegro 4'12"

Sonata in F major (Sammlung V - c. 1785) 9'00"
I. Allegro non troppo 3'30"
II. Andante con moto 2'48"
III. Allegro 2'39"

Sonata in c minor (Sammlung VI - c. 1787) 10'21"
I. Allegro, ma non troppo 3'34"
II. Andante 2'31"
III. Allegro 4'12"

Total time: 70'05"

Georg Anton Benda. Sonatas. Panton 819011 (1 CD 1999). Tamara Franzová harpsichord. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Reissued on Supraphon CU3745-2 (2003). US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Sonata in a Minor
1 Allegro
2 Andante con moto. Arioso
3 Presto

Sonata No 6 in D major (1757)
4 Allegro
5 Un poco lento
6 Allegro assai

Sonata No 3 in d minor (1757)
7 Allegro ma non tanto
8 Andantino
9 Allegro

Sonata in c minor
10 Allegro moderato
11 Andante sostenuto
12 Allegro

Sonata in C major
13 (Moderato)
14 Andante un poco vivace
15 Allegro

Sonata in c Minor (Sammlung IV or VI?)
16 Allegro ma non troppo
17 Andante
18 Allegro

Georg Anton Benda. Sonates pour pianoforte. Lyrinx LYR158 (1 CD 1998). Brigitte Haudebourg, fortepiano. Sonatas 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 10 & 11. (They undoubtedly were written for harpsichord, not fortepiano.) UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Cembalo & Hammerklavier. Capriccio (1 CD 2000). Christine Schornsheim, harpsichord & fortepiano. G.A. Benda, Sonatinas 1-5; Hasse, Sonata in E sharp Major; C.H. Graun, Sonata in d minor; C.F.C. Fasch, Andantino con 7 variazioni; J.A.P. Schulz, Stücke für cembalo; C.P.E. Bach, Stücke für cembalo Wq 117 nr 17-20, 26, 36. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Georg Anton Benda. Six Sonatas for Harpsichord (1757). Hungaroton HCD 31668 (1 CD 1997). Details. Borbála Dobozy, harpsichord. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Benda's first book of harpsichord pieces, published in 1757.

Sonata No 1 in B flat major (10'01½)
1 Allegretto (3'34½)
2 Larghetto (3'17½)
3 Allegro (2'46½)

Sonata No 2 in G major (11'08½)
4 Un poco allegro (3'41½)
5 Andante assai (3'56½)
6 Allegro moderato (3'28½)

Sonata No 3 in d minor (9'55½)
7 Allegro ma non tanto (4'03½)
8 Andantino (3'02½)
9 Allegro (2'50½)

Sonata No 4 in F major (11'11½)
10 Allegretto assai moderato (4'12½)
11 Largo sempre piano (3'32½)
12 Presto (2'59½)

Sonata No 5 in g minor (8'30½)
13 Allegro moderato (4'23½)
14 Andante (2'31½)
15 Tempo di minuetto (1'36½)

Sonata No 6 in D major (8'24½)
16 Allegro (2'50½)
17 Un poco lento (3'24½)
18 Allegro assai (2'10½)

Total time: 58'58½

Georg Anton Benda, Carl Friederich Gessel (1724-1793) & Philipp Heinrich Erlebach (1657-1714). Cantatas. cpo 999650-2 (1 CD 1999). Ludger Rémy, Telemann-Kammerorchester Michaelstein. Dorothee Mields, soprano; Britta Schwarz, contralto; Jörn Lindemann, tenor; Andreas Post, tenor; Klaus Mertens, bass. This is an outstanding recording, with an odd program combining a 17th Century cantata by Erlebach and three "gallant" cantatas, two by Benda and one by Gessel. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Georg Anton Benda: Lieder [US-Import] [Import]

Georg Anton Benda. Lieder. Hungaroton HCD 31779 (1 CD 1999). Details. Márta Fers, soprano; István Kovács, bass; Anikó Horváth, harpsichord & organ; Rezsõ Pertorini, cello. Includes the cantata "Sie fliehet fort", Benda's Klagen (1792). US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Georg Anton Benda. Romeo und Julie (1776). cpo 999496-2 (2 CDs 1998). Michael Schneider, La Stagione Frankfurt, Vokalensemble des Forum Alte Musik Bremen. Capellet: Christian M. Immler, baritone; Julie: Heidrun Kordes, soprano; Lorenzo: Hermann Treusch, speaker; Laura: Claron McFadden, soprano; Romeo Montecchi: Scot Weir, tenor; Francesco: Christoph Tomanek, speaker; Maiden: Simone Brähler, soprano; Mourner: Ralf Emge, baritone. Libretto by Friedrich Wilhelm Gotter after William Shakespeare. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Georg Anton Benda. Les 6 Premières symphonies. Adès 206162 (1 CD 1998). Daniel Cuiller, Ensemble Stradivaria. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Georg Anton Benda. 6 Sonatas & 6 Sonatinas. Globe GLO5092 (1 CD 1993). Jacques Ogg, fortepiano by Jan van den Hemel after Silbermann. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Sonata No. 1 in B flat major (1757)
Sonata No. 5 in g minor (1757)
Sonata No. 7 in e minor
Sonata No. 9 in a minor
Sonata No. 13 in E flat major
Sonata No. 16 in C major
Sonatina No. 3 in a minor
Sonatina No. 6 in d minor
Sonatina No.13 in c minor
Sonatina No. 21 in F major
Sonatina No. 23 in g minor
Sonatina No. 34 in D major

Georg Anton Benda. Harpsichord Concertos. Syrius SYR 141306 (1 CD 1994). Arnaud Pumir, harpsichord. Philippe Couvert, L'Académie Sainte-Cécile. Contains the same works as the recent cpo recording. DE

Cephalus And Aurora (Lieder und Klaviermusik)

Georg Anton Benda. Cephalus und Aurore (cantata), Lieder & Keyboard Works. Hyperion CDA 66649 (1 CD 1993). Details. Emma Kirkby, soprano; Rufus Müller, tenor; Timothy Roberts, fortepiano. Sonata no. 9 in a minor; Sonatina Nos 3, 16, 21, 29 & 32. All works are from the Sammlung. The excellent liner notes by Timothy Roberts provide a succinct summary of Benda's life and works. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP

Music

Georg Anton Benda. 17 Sonatas for Keyboard. (Christopher Hogwood, ed.) Oxford University Press 1997. 169 pages. US | UK | CA

Georg Anton Benda. 35 Sonatinas for Keyboard. (Timothy Roberts, ed.) Oxford University Press 1997. 86 pages. US | UK | CA