The magic of Varaždin
The magic of Varaždin

Summary/Abstract: A few short weeks ago via email I met Dada Ruža. Once again, after 43 years and in the twenty-first century modern world, Varaždin has exerted its charm on me! Many moons before that I had responded to Allan Badley’s letter which told of the possibility that a meeting of the Johann Baptist Wanhal Association could be held in Varaždin: “I’m particularly happy with the notion of attending something in Varaždin. I spent some very-pleasant days there while examining the little archive in the Ursulinerin Kloster and found that it contained dated material (and realized that it even included the only symphony in autograph I ever found) along with another symphony and several liturgical pieces. I photographed all the music and checked the watermarks as usual. It led to considerable later correspondence with Ladislav Sabin and others in the Institute in Zagreb. And while there I was able to talk with local people and obtain material about the area and to establish a warm relationship with the sisters in the convent. A concert based on the autograph stuff in the Convent – includes both symphonies and liturgical items – would be really possible and appropriate. That material shows what Wanhal was actually doing during the period that the old-timers said he was going crazy. In truth a case could be made that he ‘found himself’ there.”

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