The Madam Laschanzky Concerto Mystery
The Madam Laschanzky Concerto Mystery
I. Allegro
II. Siciliano
II. Vivace
In September, 2026, I will be performing the Concerto in B flat major for oboe, strings and continuo by Madam Laschanzky at the AFOES 8th Conference in Valencia, Spain, supported by Howarth of London.
This charming baroque concerto for oboe holds a fascinating mystery about a composer we know nothing about and its manuscript parts which were found at least 30 years ago in Germany. The work is important historically as it is probably the first oboe concerto composed by a woman, followed by the Concerto for oboe in d minor, Op. 7 (1877) by French composer Clémence de Grandval (1828-1907).
At present we do not know much about the composer Madam Laschanzky or, indeed, about her Concerto in B flat major for oboe, strings and continuo. All we know about Laschanzky is that her name appears as the composer on the parts of this 18th century work. The manuscript hard copies of the parts are preserved in the state library (Landesbibliothek) in Schwerin, Germany. It is believed that the concerto was composed around 1750 - 1760. The individual string parts are signed by a copyist, N. Hasstede. No manuscript hard copy of the score exists.
The concerto lasts about 8-10 mins and comprises of three movements: I. Allegro II. Siciliano III. Vivace.
In about 1990 the concerto was performed by oboist Ronald Richards with the Buffalo Philharmonic in Buffalo, USA. Apparently an edition by Dr. Barbara Garvey Jackson also existed around the same time. It is not clear whether this concerto was performed in public again before 2023.
In June, 2023, oboist William Wielgus performed the concerto with the I Musici di Katzen ensemble at Abramson Recital Hall in Washington DC. A recording of this performance is available on his YouTube Channel. He also presented the work in 2024 at the 53rd Annual International Double Reed Society Conference in Flagstaff, USA, which is where I first learnt that it exists and heard it live.
William very generously shared his transcriptions of the concerto, scores and parts, (both for oboe, strings and continuo and for oboe and piano) in the public domain on the ISLMP platform in 2024.
Around the same time oboist and composer Katherine Needleman also produced her own transcription of the work for oboe, strings and continuo, as well as a version for oboe and piano. Her editions are available in digital pdf format for purchase on her website where you can also find links to her YouTube recordings of the concerto, both for oboe and piano and oboe and string quartet.
So, the mystery about Madam Laschanzky continues….
