Mozart, Piano Quartet in G minor, K.478 (Mozartwoche 2000)

The conductor, pianist and composer André Previn was still a child when he moved with his parents from his native Berlin to the United States. For many years now he has achieved celebrity not only as conductor but also as pianist and chamber musician; in addition, he has composed many works which have been warmly received not only on the concert stage but also in opera houses (“A Streetcar Named Desire”), and in the fields of film music and jazz. Rainer Küchl was born in Waidhofen/Ybbs (Austria) and began learning the violin at the age of eleven. He completed his training in Vienna. Since 1971 he has been the concertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vienna State Opera Orchestra and, since 1972, of the Hofmusikkapelle. Moreover, he guests with the Küchl Quartet, which he founded, in all major concert venues of the world. Küchl teaches at the Hochschule für Musik in Vienna as well as in Japan. Günter Seifert was born in Weyer in Upper Austria. He studied violin and viola in Salzburg and later in Vienna. He has been a member of the Vienna Philharmonic since 1972. In 1978 he was named first violin of the Seifert Quartet. The “Mozartgemeinde Wien” awarded him the recording prize for Mozart interpretation in 1993. As soloist, chamber musician and member of the Vienna Philharmonic, he guests in many great concert centers of the world. Franz Bartolomey began learning the cello at the age of six and later studied in his native Vienna. In addition to his activity as solo cellist of the Vienna Philharmonic, he also plays as a soloist and chamber musician in many cities all over the world. Franz Bartolomey performs on an instrument built by David Tecchler (Rome, 1727).

Mozart, Piano Quartet in E flat major, K.493 (Mozartwoche 2000)

The conductor, pianist and composer André Previn was still a child when he moved with his parents from his native Berlin to the United States. For many years now he has achieved celebrity not only as conductor but also as pianist and chamber musician; in addition, he has composed many works which have been warmly received not only on the concert stage but also in opera houses (“A Streetcar Named Desire”), and in the fields of film music and jazz. Rainer Küchl was born in Waidhofen/Ybbs (Austria) and began learning the violin at the age of eleven. He completed his training in Vienna. Since 1971 he has been the concertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vienna State Opera Orchestra and, since 1972, of the Hofmusikkapelle. Moreover, he guests with the Küchl Quartet, which he founded, in all major concert venues of the world. Küchl teaches at the Hochschule für Musik in Vienna as well as in Japan. Günter Seifert was born in Weyer in Upper Austria. He studied violin and viola in Salzburg and later in Vienna. He has been a member of the Vienna Philharmonic since 1972. In 1978 he was named first violin of the Seifert Quartet. The “Mozartgemeinde Wien” awarded him the recording prize for Mozart interpretation in 1993. As soloist, chamber musician and member of the Vienna Philharmonic, he guests in many great concert centers of the world. Franz Bartolomey began learning the cello at the age of six and later studied in his native Vienna. In addition to his activity as solo cellist of the Vienna Philharmonic, he also plays as a soloist and chamber musician in many cities all over the world. Franz Bartolomey performs on an instrument built by David Tecchler (Rome, 1727).

Mozart, Contredance K.535, “La Bataille” (Mozartwoche 1999)

The Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg has been the orchestra of the city and Land of Salzburg since 1958 and regularly concertizes at the Salzburg Festival and the Mozartwoche. The principal conductor is the Dutch-born Hubert Soudant, who led the Nouvel Orchestre Philharmonique de France in Paris from 1981 to 1983 and the Utrecht Symphony Orchestra from 1983 to 1986. In addition to his activities in Salzburg, Soudant is also the principal conductor of the Orchestra and Opéra des Pays de Loire in Nantes and Angers, France.

Mozart, Piano Concerto in D major, K.537 “Coronation Concert”, and Sonata in A minor, K.310, III. Presto (Mozartwoche 1999)

The Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg has been the orchestra of the city and Land of Salzburg since 1958 and regularly concertizes at the Salzburg Festival and the Mozartwoche. The principal conductor is the Dutch-born Hubert Soudant, who led the Nouvel Orchestre Philharmonique de France in Paris from 1981 to 1983 and the Utrecht Symphony Orchestra from 1983 to 1986. In addition to his activities in Salzburg, Soudant is also the principal conductor of the Orchestra and Opéra des Pays de Loire in Nantes and Angers, France. Gianluca Cascioli is the soloist in the Piano Concerto K. 537, the “Coronation Concerto.” Mozart wrote this work, his penultimate piano concerto, in 1788, perhaps in an attempt to revive his now waning popularity in Vienna. It owes its name “Coronation” to the assumption that it was performed by Mozart in Frankfurt in 1790, during the festivities for the coronation of Leopold II as Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.

Mozart, Symphony No.17 in G major, K.129 (Mozartwoche 1999)

The former “Camerata academica Salzburg” was renamed simply “Camerata Salzburg” in 2001. It was founded in 1951 by Bernhard Paumgartner, who was its head and mentor for many years. From 1978 to 1997 its artistic director was Sándor Végh and in 1997 Roger Norrington was appointed principal conductor of the ensemble. The Camerata Salzburg can be heard every year at the Salzburg Mozartwoche and Salzburg Festival. Alexander Janiczek, who conducts this concert, comes from Salzburg and has been the concertmaster of the Camerata Salzburg since 1991.

Mozart, Violin Concerto in B flat major, K.207 (Mozartwoche 1999)

Mozart, who was also an accomplished violinist, wrote all of his five violin concertos in Salzburg in 1775, apparently for his own personal use. Their style can best be described as cosmopolitan and reflects the many musical currents he had been exposed to while on his travels in Italy and elsewhere. Aristocratic, suave, witty, wonderfully melodious, they are dazzling gems that conceal an inner core of challenging material that can be truly mastered only by the very best violinists. The Greek violinist Leonidas Kavakos was born in Athens in 1967 and, thanks to a fellowship of the Onassis Foundation, attended a master class given by Joseph Gingold at the University of Indiana. He has been invited to take part in many chamber music festivals, and presents his own festival in Athens every year. As proven in this recording, he is also a remarkable conductor. He plays the “Falmouth” Stradivarius of 1692. The former “Camerata academica Salzburg” was renamed simply “Camerata Salzburg” in 2001. It was founded in 1951 by Bernhard Paumgartner, who was its head and mentor for many years. From 1978 to 1997 its artistic director was Sándor Végh and in 1997 Roger Norrington was appointed principal conductor of the ensemble. The Camerata Salzburg can be heard every year at the Salzburg Mozartwoche and Salzburg Festival. Alexander Janiczek, who conducts this concert, comes from Salzburg and has been the concertmaster of the Camerata Salzburg since 1991.

Mozart, Violin Concerto in D major, K.211 (Mozartwoche 1999)

Mozart, who was also an accomplished violinist, wrote all of his five violin concertos in Salzburg in 1775, apparently for his own personal use. Their style can best be described as cosmopolitan and reflects the many musical currents he had been exposed to while on his travels in Italy and elsewhere. Aristocratic, suave, witty, wonderfully melodious, they are dazzling gems that conceal an inner core of challenging material that can be truly mastered only by the very best violinists. The Greek violinist Leonidas Kavakos was born in Athens in 1967 and, thanks to a fellowship of the Onassis Foundation, attended a master class given by Joseph Gingold at the University of Indiana. He has been invited to take part in many chamber music festivals, and presents his own festival in Athens every year. As proven in this recording, he is also a remarkable conductor. He plays the “Falmouth” Stradivarius of 1692. The former “Camerata academica Salzburg” was renamed simply “Camerata Salzburg” in 2001. It was founded in 1951 by Bernhard Paumgartner, who was its head and mentor for many years. From 1978 to 1997 its artistic director was Sándor Végh and in 1997 Roger Norrington was appointed principal conductor of the ensemble. The Camerata Salzburg can be heard every year at the Salzburg Mozartwoche and Salzburg Festival. Alexander Janiczek, who conducts this concert, comes from Salzburg and has been the concertmaster of the Camerata Salzburg since 1991.

Mozart, Trio in E major, K.542 (Mozartwoche 1999)

The Wiener Klaviertrio was founded in 1988 by the pianist Stefan Mendl, the cellist Marcus Trefny and the violinist Wolfgang Redik. In addition to intensive studies with the Trio di Trieste, the Beaux Arts Trio and the Haydn Trio Wien, the three musicians also worked with Isaac Stern, Joseph Kalichstein and members of the LaSalle and Guarneri Quartets. The ensemble has been undertaking extensive concerto tours throughout Europe, in the United States and Canada since the early 1990s. Moreover, the three musicians regularly appear at many festivals, such as the “Flanders Festival” and the “Schubertiade Feldkirch”. After its successful concert cycle in Vienna’s Konzerthaus with the entire piano trio oeuvre of Ludwig van Beethovens, the Wiener Klaviertrio presented all of Schubert’s piano trios in London’s Wigmore Hall as well as in Vienna’s Musikverein in the 1996/97 season. This concert was recorded in late January 1999 at the Mozartwoche Festival in Salzburg.

Mozart, Symphony No.28 in C major, K.200 (Mozartwoche 1999)

The former “Camerata academica Salzburg” was renamed simply “Camerata Salzburg” in 2001. It was founded in 1951 by Bernhard Paumgartner, who was its head and mentor for many years. From 1978 to 1997 its artistic director was Sándor Végh and in 1997 Roger Norrington was appointed principal conductor of the ensemble. The Camerata Salzburg can be heard every year at the Salzburg Mozartwoche and Salzburg Festival. Alexander Janiczek, who conducts this concert, comes from Salzburg and has been the concertmaster of the Camerata Salzburg since 1991. Like the “Little” G-minor Symphony, K. 200 is also one of the early “Salzburg” symphonies. Its originality places it on a par with the G-minor work. The onward-rushing, sharply profiled theme prefigured an evolution which led to a more individual characterization of the melodies and to a more thorough exploitation of their combinative possibilities. While the muted strings and “sigh” motifs of the Andante point to techniques Mozart was to perfect in later works, the final sprightly Presto recalls the structure of the opening movement, thus rounding off the work in an admirable fashion.