Warning! Too much sugar is hazardous to your health. So is too much cutesy-pie music by Mozart. Well, at least we think it’s by Mozart as there is no autograph and he never mentioned these pieces in his own catalog of his works. Whatever the case, these 25 pieces for two clarinets and a bassoon, grouped into five Divertimenti, are all in C major. Now I can appreciate a good Mozartean tune, and especially the calming atmosphere conjured up by some his best music, but this stuff will try anybody’s patience. Not only is the key unchanging, but so is the overall rhythmic sequence. When we arrive at track 16 and the key changes to F major, we feel like we’ve been paroled. To be fair, Mozart may not have intended these 25 pieces to be listened to all at once (which is merciful on his part), and in small doses they can be quite pleasing. Pleasing too is the playing of Kálmán Berkes, Tomoko Takashima, and Koji Okazaki, who maintain an admirable freshness and vitality throughout. But, guess what–they didn’t play these all at once either! Once again, Naxos’ sound is top drawer. Recommended then, for those collectors and explorers of Mozart’s minutiae. Don’t forget to sip, not gulp.
