Despite living in the Age of the Enlightenment and discovering the planet Uranus, William Herschel was very much a Renaissance man, being able turn his hand to catchy compositions whenever he was not building his own telescope and gazing at the stars. 

Like Handel before him, Herschel was born in Germany but lived most of his life in England, where George III appointed him Court Astronomer. While based in Durham in the country’s north-east, he led the local militia band, playing oboe (like his father before him) and composing when off-duty, notching up 24 sinfonias, 12 concertos for oboe, violin and viola, an impressive array of chamber and vocal works, and keyboard pieces for organ and harpsichord.

Australian Haydn Ensemble. Photo © Oliver Miller.

His entertaining string Sinfonia No 8 was one of the works in a concert celebrating the world of CPE Bach, and marking the close of the Australian Haydn Ensemble’s 10th anniversary season, under guest director and harpsichordist Chad Kelly.

Kelly moved to Australia last year and has since signed up with Opera...