The Mannheim School

The courtyard of the Palace at Mannheim

During the latter half of the 18th century, an orchestra based in Mannheim, at the Court of Duke Karl Theodor, became well known throughout Europe. Visitors, including Mozart, wrote glowing accounts of its highly disciplined virtuosity and its ability to produce certain novel and arousing effects such as lengthy, whole orchestra crescendos and abrupt dynamic changes.

Associated with this orchestra were a group of composers of the early classical period. The father of this “school” was the Bohemian composer Johann Stamitz, who became director of the orchestra in 1750. Following this, there were two generations of Mannheim composers who played an important role in the development of the classical symphonic form, influencing other composers of the period such as Joseph Haydn.

The orchestral quartet Op. 4, No.1 in C major, which we will be playing this term, is by one of these second-generation composers, Carl Stamitz (1746-1801). Carl was initially employed as a violinist in the orchestra, but later travelled as a virtuoso, visiting a number of European cities and living for a time in both Strasbourg and London. This work features many of the new musical innovations which were pioneered by the Mannheim School, including what has become known as the “Mannheim Rocket” – a swiftly ascending passage typically having a rising arpeggiated melodic line.