Whether we consider his symphonic music, chamber compositions or vocal oeuvre, Ferdinand Ries' vibrant powers of invention, formal mastery, and talent when it came to carving a niche in the fin de siecle musical landscape of his time, never fail to enthuse.

The concert overture must have been the first musical genre that took shape in response to specific demands that had arisen from the development of the concert as a public event. Works were required for an effective concert opening and to grab the audience’s attention without occupying the listener too much or too long. Ries wrote rousing works of this genre – now also rendered audible for vinyl fans!