Mozart: London Sketchbook (1764/5)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Composer), Vorarlberg Conservatory Ensemble (Performer), Hans-Udo Kreuels (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Vorarlberg Conservatory Ensemble, Hans-Udo Kreuels
• Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• Audio CD (April 22, 2003)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Naxos
• ASIN: B00008IHVV
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #18,838 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magnificient Miniatures, June 26, 2003

By 

Joshua Grasso (Oxford, OH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mozart: London Sketchbook (1764/5) (Audio CD)

This is a fascinating realization of some of Mozart's earliest pieces, but one that is far from a mere curiosity. The fledgling works of famous composers rarely encourage exploration on any but the most academic level; Mozart, of course, is the rare exception. Anyone who has heard his early symphonies (even the First) realizes that they stand on their own as agreeable, enjoyable compositions. These works are no different. Each miniature sparkles with charm and wit, while some exhibit genuine pathos.

I expected to like the disc without particularly admiring it, but the opposite is true: I play this disc often and couldn't name a single track I consider filler or lifeless. From the opening Alegretto to the tempestuous Allegro assai K15P, I found myself in awe of the young Mozart's inspiration and invention. And then you find a piece like the Siciliano, K15u, which he shouldn't have been able to write at such a young age! Naturally, these are realizations, so things were smoothed over and in some cases completed; however, I think this only allows us to imagine what they might have been, had Mozart returned to these pieces. Hans-Udo Kreuels's intellect and playing is astounding, and I consider this one of the rare gems of my Mozart collection. Whether you play the entire disc from beginning to end or simply dip into it, you should enjoy getting to know Mozart all over again.