Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer: Vienna Octet
Number of Discs: 2
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Decca
Catalogue: ELQ4802394
Release: 2010
Size: 709 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
CD 01
Divertimento No. 15 in B-Flat Major, K. 287
01. I. Allegro
02. II. Thema mit Variationen: Andante grazioso
03. III. Menuetto
04. IV. Adagio
05. V. Menuetto
06. VI. Andante – Allegro molto
Divertimento No. 5 in D Major, K. 205
07. I. Largo – Allegro
08. II. Menuetto
09. III. Adagio
10. IV. Menuetto
11. V. Finale. Presto
Divertimento in D Major, K. 136/125a
12. I . Allegro
13. II. Andante
14. III. Presto
15. March in D Major, K. 290
CD 02
Divertimento in D Major, K. 334
01. I. Allegro
02. II. Thema mit Variationen. Andante
03. III. Menuetto – Trio – Menuetto
04. IV. Adagio
05. V. Menuetto – Trio I – Menuetto – Trio II – Menuetto
06. VI. Rondo. Allegro
Divertimento No. 10 in F Major, K. 247
07. I. Allegro
08. II. Andante grazioso
09. III. Menuetto
10. IV. Adagio
11. V. Menuetto
12. VI. Andante – Allegro assai
Recording location: Sofiensaal, Vienna, Austria, April 1961 (KV 136, KV 334); September 1962 (KV 287); October 1963 (KV 247); October 1964 (KV 205, KV 290)
This recording forms part of a series of 10 reissues celebrating the glorious Decca recordings from the 1950s-1970s of the Wiener Oktett (Vienna Octet), made up of key principals from the Wiener Philharmoniker and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.
Those who campaign against background music in shops, restaurants, hotel lobbies and lifts do not have history on their side. A whole corpus of marvellous music, including the delightful Mozart Divertimenti on these discs, is not intended for serious listening. Its original performances were certainly given against a hum of conversation and probably in the open air.
These glorious Wiener Oktett performances represent the Wiener Oktett’s stereo recordings of these pieces, with the ensemble led by Anton Fietz (1926-2010). (The ensemble’s earlier recordings of selected Mozart Divertimenti, led by Willi Boskovsky will be released in December 2010 under the title “Mozart from a Golden Age”.)
The recordings of the Divertimenti KV 136 and No. 15 in B flat make their first international appearance on Decca CD and the release is accompanied by extensive and probing notes on the music and the performers by renowned commentator Tully Potter.