Symphony No 6 in D minor / Symphony No 7 in C minor

Johann Wilhelm Wilms (1772-1847) was a contemporary of Beethoven and although he was born in Germany, he spent all his creative life in Holland, working in Amsterdam. Like many skilled composers at this time, his reputation has been totally overshadowed by the towering figures of Beethoven and Schubert. Indeed, Wilms suffered even more from neglect than some of his contemporaries, composers such as Spohr and Hummel, who have been reassessed and now enjoy a reasonable presence in the record catalogues, if not the concert hall.

This is a pity, for Wilms's music is skilfully written, with an abundance of attractive and distinctive melodies. He certainly knew what was up to date in the musical world of his day, and the two symphonies on this CD will delight listeners who admire Beethoven, Haydn and Mozart. These sprightly performances are played on period instruments.

A real discovery, and well worth exploring.

'The influence of Beethoven and Haydn is clear, but this unknown writes splendidly … the playing of Concerto Köln is first-class, and their advocacy should do wonders for the reputation of this unknown composer … [a] striking and highly enjoyable disc.' Gramophone

Digital recording from 2003