This is the second installment of the Tapiola Sinfonietta’s traversal of Mozart Serenades for winds and strings, and based on the contents of this disc I hope it will blossom into a complete series. The twin Serenades in D major (K. 203 and K. 204, respectively) herein were composed when Mozart was a teenager and likely were composed for incidental outdoor events. Jean-Jacques Kantorow and his Finnish band nonetheless make the most out of these pieces with outstanding ensemble playing, carefully judged phrasing and dynamic tension, and ravishing solo work.
For example, in the first movement of the latter serenade, listen to how the hair-pin dynamics in the simple opening scales push the music inexorably forward. A tasteful ritard at measure 13, just two quarter-notes that end the phrase, mark the thoughtfulness and character that consistently inform Kantorow’s interpretations. Later, in the fifth movement Andante section, we witness the beginning of some great solo playing from the first-tier flutist, who is matched by the oboe in beauty of tone and precise intonation. Tero Latvala’s various solos for violin, played with a delicate tone that mixes perfectly with the rest of the group, are marvelous in every way.
The Tapiola players embody the best of the “authentic” early music style–a light, fleet-footed approach–without sacrificing sonic fullness. There is plenty of lusty playing here: for instance, the bass line before the exposition repeat in the first movement of K. 203 is bold and earthy, even ferocious. Overall, the engineers at BIS have produced these musicians faithfully and naturally, despite a slight heaviness in the bass. [5/7/2002]
