On microfiche
The cooperating libraries are:
— the Toonkunst Library Amsterdam
— the University Library Utrecht
— the Music Library of the Haags Gemeente-museum (Municipal Museum, The Hague)
— the Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussels
In addition, many other Dutch and foreign libraries have lent their support to assure the completeness of the project.
The Symphony
The major part of the music in this microfiche collection dates from the period 1750-1820. In those years the symphony developed into the most important orchestral form. The early Italian "sinfonia" still owes much to the opera overture: cf. Torelli, Valentini and others. In Austria and Germany composers first absorbed Italian elements, but later sought a more independent path. Important names here were: C. Ph. E. Bach, Dittersdorf, Stamitz, Cannabich, Toeschi and many others. Vienna was the centre, where Haydn and Mozart established the symphony as the leading musical genre of the age. Haydn was also very successful in London, where others foreigners like J. Chr. Bach, Abel and Kammel were the most significant symphonists. Paris also attracted musicians from all parts of Europe, which gave the works of Pleyel, Cherubini and Méhul a rather international style.These names were also on the programmes of the public concerts given in Amsterdam by the orchestra of the Felix Meritis Society, founded in 1777, and in Utrecht by the Collegium Musicum Ultrajectinum. In The Hague the court orchestra of stadholder William V and later (1821-1841) the Royal Chapel of King William I performed their works. And of course the music of Dutch composers like C.A. Fodor, C.E. Graaf, F.P. Ricci, B. Ruloffs and F. Schwindl was heard during these concerts.