Various Composers - Die Herzogliche Gambe. The Ducal Viol (Thomas Fritzsch)

Information

• Franz Xaver Hammer - Sammlung Ludwigslust
• Johannes Matthias Sperger - Divertimento G-Dur MeiS C V/2
• Joseph Haydn - Deutschlands Klage auf den Tod des Großen Friedrichs Borußens König, Hob. XXVIb:1
• Johannes Matthias Sperger - Divertimento B-Dur MeiS C V/4

Thomas Fritzsch, viola da gamba

Klaus Mertens, baritone

Michael Schönheit, fortepiano

Stephan Katte, horn

Pedro Rodrigues, horn

Eva Salonen, violin

Stephan Wünsch, cello

Date: 2026

Label: Rondeau Production

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Initially established in 1767, the Mecklenburg-Schwerin Court Orchestra in Ludwigslust, known as the "Versailles of Mecklenburg", was one of Germany's premier ensembles, attracting elite European talent like double bassist Johannes Mathias Sperger and cellist-gambist Franz Xaver Hammer. Now, more than two centuries after Hammer's passing, his historic 1778 viola da gamba has been meticulously restored. Performed by Echo Klassik Award winner Thomas Fritzsch, this exceptional instrument revives the rich, noble tones of Mecklenburg’s golden musical era, a period deeply influenced by the spirit of Franz Joseph Haydn, bringing this vibrant cultural legacy back to life for modern audiences.

German viol player and musicologist Thomas Fritzsch (born 1961) is a leading figure in historical performance practice. After training as a cellist in Leipzig, he shifted his focus to 17th- and 18th-century music, combining performance on historic instruments with academic research. Fritzsch has toured globally, performing as a soloist with prestigious ensembles like the Gewandhausorchester. Highly regarded for recovering lost compositions, he has unearthed and recorded vital works by Abel and Johann Christian Bach, as well as Telemann’s 12 Fantasias for Viola da Gamba, which won him an Echo Klassik award in 2017.