Violoncello Concerto in G major

"Anton Filtz, presumably born in Bohemia, was first violoncellist of the famous Mannheim orchestra from 1754 until his early death in 1760, but enjoyed great renown among his contemporaries above all as a composer – he was a pupil of the founder of the “Mannheim School,” Johann Stamitz. Typical Mannheim inventions such as “rockets” (triadic breaks) and large-scale crescendos stand alongside original thematic ideas in his works. Filtz left behind 41 symphonies, trios, quartets, cello sonatas, and flute and cello concertos, among other works. As always, when a composer writes for the instrument he himself has mastered, it is interesting to measure the degree of his technical ability by what he puts into the solo part. In the case of the present cello concerto, it is noteworthy that Filtz used almost exclusively to suspend the thumb an octave above the empty string, although he was already quite free in the trebles up to the “g”. The virtuosity that Filtz already demands of the soloist is extraordinary."