The court orchestra of Dresden had fallen into decline in the early eighteenth century, but its swift revival began in 1718 with the wedding preparations for the electoral prince, Frederick August II, and Maria Josepha of Austria, the daughter of the Hapsburg emperor. Musicians from Italy, France, and other courts in Germany were appointed to the Hofkapelle, and in the years following the wedding, the ensemble flourished and was held in high esteem throughout Europe. Many composers from Dresden,...