SCO Winds - Mozart: Divertimenti - Limelight
01 July 2015
LimelightPaul Ballam-Cross

Scots put the wind up Mozart -
Classical charm and grace define a new ensemble on the block
Although
this is a debut recording by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra Wind Soloists, the
six players each boast impressive individual track records. As part of the SCO
itself, they previously made a recording of wind concerti by Weber, which in
turn inspired the creation of the ensemble on this disc.
As the liner
notes point out, throughout Mozart's life, one constant was the he always wrote
music for entertainment. Whether that music was designed to be played at
parties or banquets, at evenings out or formal ceremonies, it's abundantly
clear that Mozart took all this good-natured music very seriously.
The
recording opens with the Serenade in E Flat, K375. There's a well-known letter
to his father in which Mozart describes his delight at discovering the
musicians performing the work beneath his window as a surprise one evening.
Similarly, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra Wind Soloists present us as listeners
with a pleasant surprise, as they (somewhat unusually) play the original
version of this work for pairs of clarinets, horns and bassoons. Normally, the
Serenade in E flat features a pair of oboes as well, but clarinettists
Maximiliano Martin and William Stafford produce some wonderfully shaded
timbres, creating more than a strong argument for this earlier version.
The ensemble
also performs four of the Divertimenti, originally intended as tafelmusik (table music). It seems
incredible to us now that Mozart wrote this divine music for an occasion as
straightforward as the Archbishop's dinner, but the player here give this music
the respect it deserves.
The
Divertimento No 13, K253 is in three movements, with an adventurous theme and
variations providing the players with plenty of interesting musical twists and
turns. Special mention must go to the Scottish Chamber Orchestra Wind Soloists'
use of natural horns, which make a significant difference to the sound. They
have such a wonderfully thick timbre, providing a lovely, lush accompaniment to
the clarinets' more melodic parts.
The
Divertimenti No 14, K270, No 12, K252, and No 9, K240 are all cast in four
movements, of varying styles and proportions - Mozart clearly rather enjoyed
tweaking and modifying his music within the constraints of the tafelmusik format. Really, though, it's
the fine performances that make this recording stand out. The players both
allow the music to breathe, but they also add their own personality - listen to
the charming clarinet and bassoon accents of the Polonaise from the Divertimento No 12 for an example! Definitely an
auspicious debut.
Related Links
Alec Frank-Gemmill
Maximiliano Martin
Peter Whelan
Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Mozart: Divertimenti