CHECK OUT THE CONCERTS CONTINUO IS SUPPORTING ON CONTINUO CONNECT

ENSEMBLE INFO

Ensemble Contact:

Email:

stephen@thehanoverband.com

1980

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Johann Matthias Sperger (1750–1812) was one of the most prolific symphonists of the late Classical period, composing at least 45 symphonies alongside a substantial body of concertos and chamber music. Despite his contemporary reputation and close professional connections with Haydn’s world, most of his orchestral works remain unperformed and unrecorded today.
This project forms part of The Hanover Band’s long-term commitment to the revival, performance, and recording of Sperger’s orchestral and concertante works, presented on period instruments and informed by current scholarship. Under the artistic direction of Leon Bosch, the ensemble has already established a proven track record in this repertoire through public performance, editorial engagement, and commercial recording.
Recent milestones include two public performances featuring Sperger’s music: the modern premiere of the Cello Concerto in C major at King’s Place, London, and the Viola Concerto performed in Arundel. These concerts demonstrated the originality, emotional range, and symphonic ambition of Sperger’s writing, and confirmed its strong appeal to modern audiences when presented in a historically informed context.
Building on this momentum, The Hanover Band has completed a first “pilot” commercial recording for the Chandos label, featuring the Cello Concerto in C, Symphony No.39 in F major (“Arrival”), and Symphony No.29 with obbligato cello. This release has established a foundation for an ambitious multi-year recording project to document Sperger’s complete symphonies and concertos.

The current application seeks support towards the second recording in this cycle, scheduled for 30 June, 1 & 2 July 2026. The programme will include Symphony No.3 in F major, the Viola Concerto, and Symphony No.42 (“The Heiress”). Together, these works trace Sperger’s development as a symphonist and illuminate his distinctive orchestral voice.
This project is not conceived as a standalone recording, but as a critical stage in a sustained artistic initiative to restore Sperger’s rightful place within the Classical canon, alongside Haydn and his contemporaries, through performance, recording, and long-term dissemination.

The Hanover Band is internationally recognised as one of the leading period-instrument orchestras, with a distinguished history of pioneering historically informed performance and recording since its founding in 1980. The ensemble has an extensive discography and a long-standing relationship with major labels, including Hyperion.
The Sperger project aligns closely with the ensemble’s core artistic mission: the rediscovery and re-evaluation of overlooked repertoire through scholarly engagement, performance excellence, and wide dissemination. The project is led by Leon Bosch, whose career has been characterised by long-term advocacy for neglected composers and repertoire, combining performance, editorial work, and recording at the highest level.
Importantly, this project is already demonstrably viable. The Hanover Band has delivered two public performances of Sperger’s concertos, completed a pilot commercial recording, and secured firm plans for subsequent recording sessions. The requested support from the Continuo Foundation will therefore accelerate an initiative that is already in motion, rather than underwriting an untested concept.
The project also contributes to the wider early-music ecosystem by expanding the recorded repertoire available to performers, scholars, broadcasters, and audiences, and by encouraging a reassessment of late-18th-century symphonic writing beyond the established canon.