Dresden : The Treasures of Schrank No. II

To compete with Versailles and Vienna, the Elector of Saxony and King of Poland, Augustus the Strong, wanted to turn Dresden into the “Florence of the Elbe” in the early 18th century. He developed the city’s library to include the music of great masters, and despite the vagaries of time, it still holds forgotten treasures today.

The grandeur of 18th-century European courts was often expressed through their musical culture. Courts that sought to showcase their influence on the global stage would invest in extraordinary musical talents, as cultural prestige was one of the most effective ways to project power beyond national borders. Alongside Vienna, London, Paris, Rome, Naples, and Venice, Dresden stood out as a significant musical centre in the first half of the 18th century. This status was largely thanks to the relentless efforts of Augustus the Strong, who, aside from his title as Elector of Saxony, had been crowned King of Poland in 1697. His ambition was to make Dresden and Warsaw the most illustrious and lavish courts, rivalling Schönbrunn and Versailles. To achieve this, Augustus drained the financial resources of his lands and created a city of splendour, soon earning the nickname ‘Florence of the Elbe’. He also expanded the Saxon Electors’ chapel and the Polish royal chapel, which survives today as the Sächsische Staatskapelle, one of the world’s most prestigious musical ensembles. By the time of his death in 1733, Augustus had left his son, Elector Augustus II (August III of Poland), with a world-class musical legacy, which continued until the outbreak of the Seven Years’ War in 1756.