Violin Solo [in scordatura], 2 Violins, Viola, and Bass
Full Score & Instrumental Parts
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Aside from four cantatas (three sacred and one secular), Endler’s extant works are orchestral. Manuscripts for thirty sinfonias for various instrumental combinations are located at the Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek, Musikabteilung in Darmstadt (there is an additional sinfonia, CobE 31, where only the first violin and bass parts survive). These works generally make use of brass instruments, with twenty-four of the thirty sinfonias containing trumpet parts. The sinfonias employing trumpets are typically in D major (eighteen works), with a few examples in both Eb major (four works) and F major (two works).
The present four-movement sinfonia uses a solo violin in scordatura tuning where the lowest three strings are tuned up a semitone while the highest string is tuned down a semitone. With this tuning, the solo violin is more resonant in Eb major. The tuning also makes the use of multiple stops with more open strings possible, such as the solo violin’s opening triple stop.
While many multi-movement works containing natural trumpet parts allow the trumpeter(s) to rest for at least one movement, this sinfonia employs the three trumpets in every movement. In terms of range, Endler’s treatment of the natural trumpet is similar to that of composers such as Bach, Telemann, and Handel; the first trumpet’s compass is from the 5th to 16th partial of the harmonic series (written E4–C6), the second trumpet’s compass is from the 4th to 12th partial (written C4–G5), while the third trumpet’s compass is from the 3rd to 10th partial (written G3–E5). The energetic, dazzling third movement is notable for its skillful treatment of the trumpet/timpani ensemble. The two-part movement opens with a soli section containing only trumpets and timpani, and the B section also contains two such sections. The independence of the brass and percussion in this movement adds immensely to the festive and jovial quality of this sinfonia.
