Monn, the spelling was preferred by the composer over Mann, was a student of the organ who sang in Klosterneburg monastery from 1731-32. By the age of twenty one he had already become the organist at the church of St Charles in Vienna which had just been built. Though he was not recognized throughout Europe his compositions were celebrated in Vienna. They were performed in the court of Joseph II and in Austrian monasteries. His first symphony was the first of its kind using four movements, the third in the form of a minuet. None of his twenty other symphonies, however, followed this innovative format. Qualitatively his music illustrated a keen sense of harmonic substance, thorough thematic elaboration and aestheic sonority. Classical stylings were apparent in Monn's concertos and included unusual modulations, tutti passages and dialogues occurring between the solo instruments and the orchestra. His chamber works and fugal pieces were more conservative in nature remaining in the Baroque structures; harmonically, however, even Monn's chamber works contained foreshadows of the Classical era. ~ Keith Johnson, Rovi