GoodSoundClub - Romy the Cat's Audio Site

Musical Discussions
Topic: Mozart and tone colours.

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Posted by Romy the Cat on 10-30-2009

The wonderful Mozart’s Serenade No. 10 (the “Gran Partita”) for winds and double bass is as good as it could be, in fact it is the probably the most brilliant music ever was written for the instruments. I love it but I lately would like to have it to sound … like my YO186 sounds… with tone of the fall leafs and with harmonics of the unturned Weiner philharmonic. I was looking for the Serenade by The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment – one of my favorite period instilments band but they looks like did not record it

My two most favorite period instilments recordings of the No. 10 are from Albert Bruggen leading the “18th Century Orchestra” (this is the name of the orchestra) and another one is from the wonderful Ensemble Zefiro. Both of them are on CD but I would like to have an LP with very Copley vintage tone. I want this nozzle harmonic, with German narrow bore horns, wild valveless overtones, extended dynamic range but in vintage manner, and I would like the players really know what they do and play if tastefully. I would like also it to be recorded with just two mics and without the typically stupid microphonic fantasies…

The Cat

Posted by montepilot on 10-30-2009

Your request reminded me I had a recording of this music that I had not listened to for several years. It is an old London Blueback lp of the London Wind Soloist. I only intended listening to a couple of tracks to refamiliarize myself with the music. However after one track I pulled it from the turntable and gave both sides a good cleaning, sat down and listened to the entire lp. Tastefully delightful. Glad you brought it to our attention.

Here is a thoughtful comment from the liner notes: Of all the great composers with the possible exception of Wagner, Mozart was the most interested and skillfull in the use of tone colour. We know the impression that the brilliant Mannheim orchestra made on him, for he wrote rather wistfully to his father, Oh, if only we had clarinets too -- you have no idea of the glorious effect of a Symphony with flutes, oboes and clarinets." The Serenade for 13 wind instruments was and remains unique in its combination of brilliantly colourful writing and occasionally profound musical expression.

I will have to search out the Albert Bruggen CD.

montepilot

Posted by Romy the Cat on 10-31-2009

montepilot wrote:

Here is a thoughtful comment from the liner notes: Of all the great composers with the possible exception of Wagner, Mozart was the most interested and skillfull in the use of tone colour.

I disagree with them. No one deny Mozart genuineness in my aspect of music but I do not feel that his use of tone colors was so much extraordinary. Richard Strauss, Rimsky-Korsakov…. just to name a few were in my view more sophisticated tone colors users. I admit, Mozart used colors differently than the composers of end of 19 begin of 20 century.

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