Mozart; Night Music 'Eine Kleine Nachtmusik' K.525 [HMU907280] Manze & The English Concert

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Mozart; Night Music 'Eine Kleine Nachtmusik' K.525 [HMU907280] Manze & The English Concert

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Who would have thought that Mozart's Eine kleine Nachtmusik could actually sound fresh and vibrant. The English Concert and its new conductor/violinist Andrew Manze accomplish the unlikely task in their first recording together, and their crisp, invigorating playing strips the layers of cliché from Mozart's well-worn serenade. The familiar opening movement has real momentum, as does the Romance that follows, and you hear every line clearly. Rhythmic precision and stylish phrasing are the hallmarks of the playing throughout, in the best tradition of period-instrument playing.

The Serenata Notturna, K.239, sounds equally new, and features some wonderfully unvarnished timpani playing. And the infamous Musical Joke has rarely sounded so wonderfully wrongheaded, with all of its intentional mistakes glaringly rendered. …this release contains a wealth of fresh insights into Mozart, not easy to come by these days. The sound is warm and spacious, and the album notes by Manze are excellent as well.

David Weininger