Mozart: The Wind Concertos /AAM * Hogwood [BOX SET]

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Composer), Christopher Hogwood (Conductor), The Academy of Ancient Music (Orchestra), Anthony Halstead (Performer), Danny Bond (Performer), Anthony Pay (Performer), Michel Piguet (Performer)

Product Details

• Performer: Anthony Halstead, Danny Bond, Anthony Pay, Michel Piguet
• Orchestra: The Academy of Ancient Music
• Conductor: Christopher Hogwood
• Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• Audio CD (July 20, 1999)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 3
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Decca / L'Oiseau-Lyre
• ASIN: B00000JLF7
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #199,419 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential recording
It would be hard to find more appealing treatments of Mozart's wind concertos than these from Christopher Hogwood and the Academy of Ancient Music, featuring a distinguished group of period-instrument soloists. Leading the way, and playing a deliciously mellow-sounding basset clarinet, Anthony Pay gives a splendid account of what is surely Mozart's most beautiful concerto, the Clarinet Concerto in A, K. 622. Pay's shadings are soft and natural, his embellishments simply marvelous, and he and Hogwood are right on the mark when it comes to tempo, expression, and accent. Another delight is the spirited and expressive playing of Lisa Beznosiuk, both in the Flute Concerto, K. 313, and in the Concerto for Flute and Harp, K. 299, where she shares solo honors with Frances Kelly. Michel Piguet is a formidable soloist in the Oboe Concerto, K. 314, and Danny Bond achieves wonders with a period instrument in the Bassoon Concerto, K. 191. Not to be outdone, Anthony Halstead delivers crisp, athletic work in the various concertos and concerto movements for horn, and manages to get a wonderfully fat tone from both of his instruments, modern copies of valveless period horns. Hogwood and the Academy give dependably bold, energetic readings across the board, their playing full of verve in the tuttis and suitably transparent in the quiet pages. While the recordings, made between 1984 and 1993, are all quite good, the works for horn benefit from a particularly effective engineering job, with sound that is exceptionally well balanced and silky. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-buy for the Mozart or period music fan, March 13, 2000

By A Customer

Quite simply, you haven't heard Mozart's wind concerti until you've heard this recording. This is as close as you can get to hearing the music as Mozart wrote it to be played. For instance, in the oboe concerto, concessions to the period style and Mozart's original score _must_ be made due to the sheer physical limitations of the original two-keyed instrument used in the recording, made in 1783. In the horn concerti, the tone color difference between the stopped and unstopped notes is remarkable; you can't get this kind of drastic effect on a modern valved instrument (although some might wonder if you'd _want_ to get this effect ;). Nonetheless, it provides a unique window into both late 18th century playing style and Mozart's compositional genius.

However, not only do the period instruments do justice to the timbres Mozart himself heard and used, but the use of 18th century original and reproduction instruments allows the _original_ editions of Mozart's music to be used. The ever popular Clarinet Concerto in A was, in fact, written for the deeper ranged basset horn (aka basset clarinet) in A, not a "regular" clarinet. Hence, all editions for clarinet must transpose several passages up an octave to avoid the lower notes of the basset horn not covered by the clarinet. This fundamentally changes the character of whole sections of the piece.

Finally, the musicians in this recording have made conscious choices in playing style not directly dictated by their instruments, from basic articulations and phrasing to trills and slurs, so that they perform the music in period late 18th century style. Those familiar with "modern" appoggiaturas, for instance, might be surprised at how they would have been originally played. All in all, if you like Mozart, you want this recording, even if you already own a modern edition of his wind concerti.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent collection of beautiful works, March 13, 2000

By A Customer

Hogwood and the AAM offer their usual excellent performances for these beautiful pieces on authentic instruments. The sound quality of the recordings is also excellent.

Mozart's wind concertos are quite relaxing - if you like Mozart's style, you'll like this set.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mozart: The Wind Concertos, January 13, 2001

By	Larry D. Floyd "floydla1" (McIntosh, AL USA) - See all my reviews

I am partial to Hogwood and AAM for their interpretations of Mozart's works. The clarinet and oboe concertos with Pay and Piguet in particular are "reference standard" class. The flute and harp are very pleasing to listen to. The horn concerto is the weakest of the three (I'm stilling waiting for another Dennis Brain I guess), but this 3-CD set is still a particularly good value. For example, the single title "Mozart: Clarinet Concerto, Oboe Concerto / Hogwood", is listed by ...... for ....