TOCCATA by Franz Burkhart (1902-1978) performed by the Dutch Mandolin Chamber Orchestra Het CONSORT Video

Toccata by Franz Burkhart performed by the Dutch Mandolin Chamber Orchestra Het CONSORT conducted by Alex Timmerman. A video made on September the 18th, 2009, during a concert in the Saint Nicolas Church in Bancigny, France.
Not much is known about the life of the Austrian composer Franz Burkhart (1902-1978). He studied musicology at the University of Vienna as well as the violin, piano, composition and direction under the guidance of Ferdinand Grossmannu. Burkhart composed music for all kind of music genres and was especially focused on writing music for children and young people. Burkharts Toccata was composed in 1946 and originally scored for two guitars. It is based on one of the oldest music styles for organ. By using two guitars Burkhart kept alive the ancient music characteristics of full chords and woven scales, elements of course of virtuos Middle age contrapunt. A subtle composing style so well controlled by Franz Burkhart that it became one of his characteristics of his modern composing style. Over the years the Toccata, with its A-B-A framework (Allegro Piu Tranquillo Allegro), has proved to be a loved and very successful composition among guitar duos. Here it is heard in an arrangement for mandolin chamber orchestra by Alex Timmerman, the conductor of the Dutch Mandolin Chamber Orchestra Het CONSORT.
Besides this composition Franz Burkhart also composed a wonderful Passacaglia for solo guitar. As with the Toccata the Passacaglia was based on an ancient music style; it is an excellent example of how baroque like variations on a bass can be kept alive in a modern neo-classical composing style.