Schmidt: Chaconne from Les quatre saisons

The court orchestra of Dresden had fallen into decline in the early eighteenth century, but its swift revival began in 1718 with the wedding preparations for the electoral prince, Frederick August II, and Maria Josepha of Austria, the daughter of the Hapsburg emperor. Musicians from Italy, France, and other courts in Germany were appointed to the Hofkapelle, and in the years following the wedding, the ensemble flourished and was held in high esteem throughout Europe. Many composers from Dresden, elsewhere in Germany, and beyond wrote works for the Dresden orchestra—as well as works for other orchestras in the Dresden style, thus reinforcing the artistic renown of the ensemble.

Johann Christoph Schmidt, who had served as kapellmeister in Dresden since 1698 but shared the duties with Johann David Heinichen upon the latter’s arrival at the court, provided a grand divertimento of music and dance to celebrate the royal marriage in 1718. This lavish work, entitled Les quatre saisons, calls for performing forces of about one hundred musicians, including solo singers representing the seasons and various divine personages, four twelve-voice choruses, and a full orchestra. The chaconne that concludes the “Winter” section is the most impressive piece among the dance movements and shows just how fully Jean-Baptiste Lully’s style had been mastered in Germany.