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Sony Masterworks

Mozart: Serenade K 361 "Gran Partita" / Mehta, Berlin PO

$17.99

Details

Composer
MOZART, WOLFGANG AMADEUS
Artist
Zubin, Mehta
Format
CD
Label
Sony Masterworks
Released
Apr 26, 2011
Catalog #
SONY58950
UPC
074645895024

About

This is playing of distinction. With all 13 players being of the highest quality and Mehta at his sympathetic best, everything unfolds impressively, with a sense of joy in the music-making.

A big work, this, written for the kind of wind ensemble that became popular during the 1780s at the Austrian imperial court and its aristocratic imitators. In fact, the usual combination was of pairs of oboes, clarinets, horns and bassoons, but here Mozart adds two more horns, a pair of bassett horns and a double-bass; the effect is thus even more massive, although his mastery of texture is such that it never feels overblown and a contemporary described this piece as "herrlich und gross, trefflich und her", which the insert-note here translates as "glorious and grand, excellent and sublime".

Since the 13 players here are of the highest quality and Mehta is a sympathetic conductor, everything unfolds impressively, and there is a sense of joy in the music-making. Over and over, I find this playing natural, easy without slickness and expressive (sometimes even passionate) without mannerism. To experience the blend of weight and grace that the music and performance offer, listen to the first Minuet, the second of the five movements. The tempo is just right and the shaping of phrases (not least in the delicately scored first trio and the bouncy secondone) elegant. Altogether, this is playing of distinction. As for the sound of the Adagio which follows, the music which awed Salieri in Shaffer's play Amadeus, this is no less poised. Indeed, here is an excellent performance that is complemented by a clear and atmospheric recording made in the Berlin Philharmonie. Strongly recommended and earning first place among current versions.

-- Gramophone [9/1995]

Tracklist 13 tracks

  1. 1 I. Largo - Molto allegro 09:35
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Largo - Molto allegro
    Duration
    09:35
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Ensemble
    Bläser der Berliner Philharmoniker
    Conductor
    Zubin Mehta
  2. 2 II. Menuetto - Trio I - Trio II 08:39
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Menuetto - Trio I - Trio II
    Duration
    08:39
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Ensemble
    Bläser der Berliner Philharmoniker
    Conductor
    Zubin Mehta
  3. 3 III. Adagio 06:15
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Adagio
    Duration
    06:15
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Ensemble
    Bläser der Berliner Philharmoniker
    Conductor
    Zubin Mehta
  4. 4 IV. Menuetto: Allegretto - Trio I - Trio II 04:54
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Menuetto: Allegretto - Trio I - Trio II
    Duration
    04:54
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Ensemble
    Bläser der Berliner Philharmoniker
    Conductor
    Zubin Mehta
  5. 5 V. Romance: Adagio - Allegretto - Adagio 06:55
    Track
    5
    Title
    V. Romance: Adagio - Allegretto - Adagio
    Duration
    06:55
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Ensemble
    Bläser der Berliner Philharmoniker
    Conductor
    Zubin Mehta
  6. 6 VI. Tema con variazioni: Tema: Andante 01:01
    Track
    6
    Title
    VI. Tema con variazioni: Tema: Andante
    Duration
    01:01
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Ensemble
    Bläser der Berliner Philharmoniker
    Conductor
    Zubin Mehta
  7. 7 VI. Theme with Variations: Variation 1 01:18
    Track
    7
    Title
    VI. Theme with Variations: Variation 1
    Duration
    01:18
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Ensemble
    Bläser der Berliner Philharmoniker
    Conductor
    Zubin Mehta
  8. 8 VI. Theme with Variations: Variation 2 01:16
    Track
    8
    Title
    VI. Theme with Variations: Variation 2
    Duration
    01:16
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Ensemble
    Bläser der Berliner Philharmoniker
    Conductor
    Zubin Mehta
  9. 9 VI. Theme with Variations: Variation 3 01:15
    Track
    9
    Title
    VI. Theme with Variations: Variation 3
    Duration
    01:15
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Ensemble
    Bläser der Berliner Philharmoniker
    Conductor
    Zubin Mehta
  10. 10 VI. Theme with Variations: Variation 4 01:15
    Track
    10
    Title
    VI. Theme with Variations: Variation 4
    Duration
    01:15
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Ensemble
    Bläser der Berliner Philharmoniker
    Conductor
    Zubin Mehta
  11. 11 VI. Theme with Variations: Variation 5: Adagio 02:27
    Track
    11
    Title
    VI. Theme with Variations: Variation 5: Adagio
    Duration
    02:27
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Ensemble
    Bläser der Berliner Philharmoniker
    Conductor
    Zubin Mehta
  12. 12 VI. Theme with Variations: Variation 6: Allegro 01:01
    Track
    12
    Title
    VI. Theme with Variations: Variation 6: Allegro
    Duration
    01:01
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Ensemble
    Bläser der Berliner Philharmoniker
    Conductor
    Zubin Mehta
  13. 13 VII. Finale: Molto Allegro 03:21
    Track
    13
    Title
    VII. Finale: Molto Allegro
    Duration
    03:21
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Ensemble
    Bläser der Berliner Philharmoniker
    Conductor
    Zubin Mehta