Tamestit

Considering that Mozart's Divertimento in E-flat is far and away the greatest string trio ever written, and one of the unquestionable monuments of chamber music generally, it doesn't get the attention that it surely deserves from either record labels or collectors. Perhaps the dearth of regularly constituted string trios (as opposed to quartets) has something to do with it, but the fact remains that there is no greater testament to Mozart's genius than this epic, nearly 50-minute-long masterpiece in six movements that contains not a second that fails to rise to the highest level of textural gorgeousness and supreme melodic inspiration. Happily, most performances understand how special the music is, and give it their best effort. This one is no exception. The Zimmerman Trio plays with remarkably accurate intonation and a ravishing tone that's also mindful of the Classical style. Schubert's single-movement trio makes the perfect coupling. It seems to grow right out of the Mozart until the end of the exposition, when Schubert suddenly sails in with some typically arresting harmony.

Antoine Tamestit and his artistic partner Masato Suzuki, a soloist in the famous Bach Collegium Japan, have immersed themselves in Bach’s three sonatas for viola da gamba and harpsichord in order to give a sublime interpretation of them on the viola – both instruments use the same alto clef, even if the projection of the sound is entirely different. So this is no transcription, but leaves the artists in total freedom to rediscover with delight these all too rarely played masterpieces!

Mozart: Violin Concertos 1 & 3, Sinfonia Concertante (2009)
(Renaud Capuçon, Antoine Tamestit, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Louis Langree)
FLAC+CUE+LOG | 310 MB | no scans
MP3 CBR 320kbps | 168 MB
Classic/Chamber | Virgin | 59:45

Following his first solo concertos disc of Mendelssohn and Schumann, French violinist Renaud Capuçon chose a disc of Mozart's first and third concertos, as well as his imposing Sinfonia Concertante, with outstanding young violist Antoine Tamestit. All three works feature the Scottish Chamber Orchestra conducted by fellow Frenchman and Mozart expert Louis Langrée. Says Capuçon of Langrée (who has directed the Mostly Mozart Festival in New York since 2002): "Working with Louis Langrée is a particular privilege, his Mozart has honesty, purity and joie de vivre…grace, in fact." And of the SCO: "The players' finesse of articulation and their colors are drawn from chamber music…This simplicity of approach is essential for me." This intimate reading offers new insights into these familiar works, particularly during the grief-stricken slow movement of the Sinfonia Concertante, which finds all three musicians digging deep into the emotional core of the music.

The present album, number nine in Eric le Sage’s valiant Schumann edition, is devoted to the trios with piano, a favourite formation of the 19th Century that combines the economy of chamber music with the prestige of instrumental music. He is accompanied by regular partners Gordan Nikolitch and Christophe Coin with a guest appearance from Paul Meyer on clarinet for Op. 56.