The five string players of Cappella Musica Dresden form an elite chamber music ensemble taken from members of the renowned Dresdener Kapellsolisten chamber ensemble in the direction of primus inter pares Helmut Branny.

In addition to their orchestral duties at the Semper Opera House and on concert stages throughout Europe and Asia, the members of the Cappella Musica are dedicating themselves to chamber music with enthusiasm. Their aim is to illuminate the gestural and musical language as well as the intellectual environment of their musical repertoire for contemporary audiences.

The performances of Cappella Musica Dresden delight their audiences and are celebrated by critics. The ensemble’s repertoire ranges from the Baroque era to Leonard Bernstein and George Gershwin.

The Cappella Musica has devoted itself to the music of Johann Strauss II for several years. The musicians of the ensemble are particularly impressed by the range of Strauss’ musical and melodic ideas and by his ability to elevate them to the highest artistic levels, similar to Bach or Mozart.

Johann Strauss’ connection to Germany and to Dresden in particular was of interest to the members of the ensemble. The former second violinist of Cappella Musica, Jörg Kettmann, established contact with Dr Ingolf Roßberg, the chairman of the German Johann Strauss Society and former mayor of Dresden. He also began to work on an increasing number of arrangements and over many years Roßberg was able to convince himself of the quality of the ensemble, including at performances at the Semper Opera. The connection gave rise to his desire to engage the Cappella Musica Dresden to perform exclusively at a festival weekend celebrating the bicentennial of Johann Strauss’ birth, 138 years of Coburg citizens, and at the 50 year anniversary of the German Johann Strauss Society and to create this recording Strauss’ “German” music in connection with the celebrations surrounding the bicentennial of the composer’s birth.