No way is the Symphonie concertante for flute, oboe, horn, and bassoon K. 297b by Mozart, at least not in its present configuration. It’s not that the tunes aren’t idiomatic, but the music hangs fire harmonically in a way that Mozart, even early Mozart, almost never does. Still, it’s going to get played anyway because it gives wind players something to do with the great man’s name attached, and if they must, then this disc offers a most persuasive way to do it. In short, the performance here comes off like chamber music: gracious, sweet, and gratifyingly transparent. The soloists really listen to each other and the larger orchestra never covers them. I was almost convinced.
The Concerto for Flute and Harp also isn’t great Mozart, but it’s the only major work of the classical period with a harp part. Here, I was convinced that this is important stuff, thanks largely to the exquisite harp playing of Mara Galassi, who creates an atmosphere of absolute enchantment whenever she participates. Suzanne Kaiser’s “authentic” flute-playing, breathy and hollow, is another matter, but the overall timbral picture is so magical that I didn’t care. Once again, the give and take of chamber music rules the interpretation, which also softens to a welcome degree this band’s often rough-and-ready period sound.
I do hope someday to hear a true “period performance” of the “Paris” Symphony–that is, with the huge orchestra that Mozart wrote for. Until then, this light and zippy version will do very nicely. It has plenty of charm in both central andantes (you get to pick which one you want), and some really exciting trumpet and drum stuff in the outer movements. The contrapuntal antics in the finale come off with singular clarity, and the entire disc admirably fulfills its purpose of providing a winning summary of Mozart’s personally disastrous (his mother died there) Paris sojourn. Terrific sound completes a wholly attractive package. [4/4/2006]
