Six Symphonies Op.7

La Stagione Frankfurt, Michael Schneider

What makes Abels symphonies so unique among those of his contemporaries is not their first movements in what was later known as the »sonata form« or their last movements, which without exception are formed, usually in rondo structure, by dances of folk character like fast contredanses and minuets, but rather their slow middle movements, mostly with the heading »Andante« and frequently »sempre piano« in dynamics, which speak a new and thoroughly individual musical language.

Abel, C F:
 Symphony in D Major, Op. 7 No. 3, WKO 15
 Symphony in B-Flat Major, Op. 7 No. 2, WKO 14
 Symphony in G Major, Op. 7 No. 1, WKO 13
 Symphony in E-Flat Major, Op. 7 No. 6, WKO 18
 Symphony in F Major, Op. 7 No. 4, WKO 16
 Symphony in C Major, Op. 7 No. 5, WKO 17

"From the first, La Stagione grip us with their rhythmic spirit, their electrifying flexibility and the kind of sonic variation which we loved in their Telemann. Certainly with Abel one can detect, here and there, a few formulaic moments, but Michael Schneider compensates for them with a real panache…a very exciting disc"
Diapason - June 2017 *****

"You will find this an utterly charming, life-enhancing and, above all, impeccably civilized issue."
MusicWeb International - 30th June 2017

"Schneider gives equal weight to both the rousing momentum of Abel’s outer movements and the tender, sensitive tone of the slow inner movements. He doesn’t make Abel’s music bigger than it is, but does full justice to its peculiarities."
FonoForum - June 2017 *****