Harmoniemusik from Mozart's Favorite Operas

Super good album! Highly recommended by me!

The instrumentalists of Winds Unlimited are masters on their instruments and the double bass creates a warm depth. Truly beautiful.

This album is really a 'must have'.

It may be strange that in those long-gone times there was much more interest in all kinds of arrangements than in pieces written specifically for the 'Harmonie', but for both it was true that high technical requirements were set for their performance, reserved only for wind players who played an important role in the orchestras and were therefore well paid. This is no less true for the seven musicians who make up the 'Winds Unlimited' ensemble.

What strikes me is that there are no oboes, while they are so typical of the 'Harmoniemusik' of that time. But they are right, because in these arrangements made by Sartorius the oboe strangely does not occur (but two clarinets, 2 horns, two bassoons and contrabassoon (in this case replaced by the double bass).

Musicians who ventured into the 'Harmoniemusik' came from a good home at that time. That is no less true today. The Winds Unlimited, playing on copies of original instruments, offer us a flawless ensemble sound with the accompanying sonority. In addition, you can fully enjoy the musical joie de vivre that this ensemble radiates.

The recording made by Tom Peeters can best be called a masterpiece. This has become an edition in which everything falls masterfully into place.

By doing without the usual pair of oboes, Georg Kasper Sartorius' wind sextet, each with two clarinets, horns and bassoons with double bass, acquires a highly distinctive, dark velvety timbre. This comes into its own here, particularly in the slow movements.

In the fast parts, the Winds Unlimited, playing on replicas of historical instruments, produce a cultivated beautiful sound.

It is extremely precarious already nominating an album for Record of the Year. Okay , if there are such beautiful recordings next few months, this is on my wish list.

What wonderful music. A delicious version of these compositions.  Winds Unlimited, seven artists with truly wonderful instruments at their disposal.  And lovely music for the ears.

How wonderful accompaniment and melody are woven into each other, beautifully performed with care and attention. The Winds Unlimited shines with the enthusiasm of an orchestra and the intimacy of quartet.

From each opera they play six arrangements with world premières of ‘La Clemenza di Tito’ and ‘Il Don Giovanni’. This makes the album ‘Concert Music from Mozart’s Favourite Operas’ even more unique!

The Winds Unlimited ensemble plays cross-sections of the operas 'Figaro', 'Tito' and 'Don Giovanni' on historical instruments, arranged by Mozart's contemporary Georg Kasper Sartorius.

Why should one buy Mozart operas in arrangements for wind instruments? Just listen to track one of this new album, the overture to 'Le nozze di Figaro', and there's no need for any further justification. This is (unfortunately) the only overture on this record, but the other titles are also worthwhile.

The album by Winds Unlimited, features excerpts from 'La Clemenza di Tito', 'Don Giovanni' and 'Figaro'. Each with two clarinets, horns and bassoons as well as a double bass of these operas six numbers. Many of the arias are of course very well known ('Cinque, dieci, venti', 'Se vuol ballare, signor Contino', 'Non più andrai', 'Là ci darem la mano' and many others).

The recording is a lot of fun, because the instruments are also quite distinctive in their respective colors. The winds play on historical instruments, and there are plenty of tonal abnormalities, especially a very strong nasal bassoon, which often sounds a bit funny but not unpleasant. The sound mixes less than it would with modern instruments, but that's not necessarily a disadvantage.

In any case, the ensemble is perceived as a well-harmonized unit, and the intonation is, at least for the most part, very clean. Above all, however, the musicians approach the arrangements made by Mozart's contemporary Georg Kasper Sartorius with great verve and very crisp articulation.

According to the cover, the album features World Premiere Recordings 'Tito' and 'Don Giovanni'.  It was about time! So while the above-mentioned 'Figaro' overture has evidently been heard elsewhere in this version, the 'Favorit-Gesänge' from these two other operas are also so enjoyable that it would be a loss not to know them.

Just listen to the rousingly lively 'Eh via buffone' from Don Giovanni, which lasts just over a minute, or its beautifully played closing number (in this version) 'Vedrai carino'. The ensemble was apparently recorded very directly, so a lot of breathing and key noises can also be heard well. However, the sound is not completely dry, it was recorded in a church.

The booklet contains detailed information about the musicians and a very detailed introductory text about the works and the Viennese fashion of harmony music in the late 18th century, written by the bassoonist Lisa Goldberg.