The Habsburg Imperial Court was a melting pot of many different cultures in which the zest for living of southerners, the Slav melancholy, French formalism, Spanish courtliness and the original German-speaking Alpine cultural region intermingled. Together with his Ars Antiqua Austria ensemble, Gunar Letzbor occupied himself over a ten year period to produce this 10CD "Klang der Kulturen" box, a musical tour of the individual countries that formed the roots of and influences on the music of baroque Vienna, documenting them in live recordings, with each CD representing one country.
The Habsburg Imperial Court was a melting pot of many different cultures in which the zest for living of southerners, the Slav melancholy, French formalism, Spanish courtliness and the original German-speaking Alpine cultural region intermingled. Together with his Ars Antiqua Austria ensemble, Gunar Letzbor occupied himself over a ten year period to produce this 10CD ""Klang der Kulturen"" box, a musical tour of the individual countries that formed the roots of and influences on the music of baroque Vienna, documenting them in live recordings, with each CD representing one country.
Vienna, Salzburg and Rome were among the principal centres of power for the Holy Roman Empire of the late 17th and early 18th centuries, and they accordingly attracted the most talented and ambitious composers of the day. The Venetian-born Caldara aspired to the post of Court Kapellmeister in Vienna, and composed the wedding music for Emperor Charles VI in 1708. He won huge success in Rome, where he followed in the footsteps of the young Handel, and eventually won the favour of the emperor himself, who even conducted some of Caldara’s operas.