K. 361

This new recording "made in Salzburg" bears the Mozarteum's seal of quality: the ensemble is made up of graduates or teachers from the world-famous university and brings together musicians from leading orchestras as well as soloists and international award winners. The historic horns, trumpets and kettledrums, which are partly used, create a delightful mixed sound in harmony with modern instruments.

Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers, with one performer to a part (in contrast to orchestral music, in which each string part is played by a number of performers). However, by convention, it usually does not include solo instrument performances.

Alan Civil (horn), London Wind Quintet and Ensemble (wind ensemble), Walter Berry (bass), Lucia Popp (soprano), Ruth-Margret Pütz (soprano), Geraint Evans (baritone), Henry Smith (harpsichord), Elisabeth Söderström (soprano), Teresa Berganza (mezzo-soprano), Dame Margaret Price (soprano), Daniel Barenboim (piano), Hans Sotin (bass), Yvonne Minton (mezzo-soprano), Mirella Freni (soprano), Nicolai Ghiaurov (bass).

"Mozart always had a special affinity with wind instruments: for him they were essential components of his musical expression," claims French clarinettist Nicolas Baldeyrou, a globally renowned soloist who has performed with some of the greatest conductors and virtuosi: this album is the first volume of a complete set of Mozart’s chamber and concertante music involving the clarinet, which he has chosen to record on period instruments, "an authentic and revelatory experience, despite the technical challenges it presents". He has enlisted the help of his musical friends, all of whom are recognised as adept practitioners of modern instruments, but sustain a strong passion for period instruments… The programme of this first release includes the Serenades KV 375 and 388 as well as Mozart’s Gran Partita KV 361, a work on an exceptionally grand scale, with its line-up of thirteen players, its expansive duration, and its supreme musical quality, "rising to the level of Mozart’s greatest symphonies and operas".

"Mozart always had a special affinity with wind instruments: for him they were essential components of his musical expression," claims French clarinettist Nicolas Baldeyrou, a globally renowned soloist who has performed with some of the greatest conductors and virtuosi: …

Principal players of the London Symphony Orchestra display their virtuosic talents on this album of concertos for wind instruments by Mozart, recorded in concert with conductor Jaime Martín in the excellent acoustic of the Jerwood Hall at LSO St Luke’s.

"Mozart always had a special affinity with wind instruments: for him they were essential components of his musical expression," claims French clarinettist Nicolas Baldeyrou, a globally renowned soloist who has performed with some of the greatest conductors and virtuosi: this album is the first volume of a complete set of Mozart’s chamber and concertante music involving the clarinet, which he has chosen to record on period instruments, "an authentic and revelatory experience, despite the technical challenges it presents". He has enlisted the help of his musical friends, all of whom are recognised as adept practitioners of modern instruments, but sustain a strong passion for period instruments… The programme of this first release includes the Serenades KV 375 and 388 as well as Mozart’s Gran Partita KV 361, a work on an exceptionally grand scale, with its line-up of thirteen players, its expansive duration, and its supreme musical quality, "rising to the level of Mozart’s greatest symphonies and operas".

"Mozart always had a special affinity with wind instruments: for him they were essential components of his musical expression," claims French clarinettist Nicolas Baldeyrou, a globally renowned soloist who has performed with some of the greatest conductors and virtuosi: …