Christopher Hogwood founded the Academy of Ancient Music in 1973 and is one of the pioneers of historical performance practice as a harpsichordist and conductor. His interpretations of the Baroque and classical opera and concert literature have brought him international acclaim. The Academy of Ancient Music has taken as its goal the performance of the works of the Baroque and Classical eras on historic instruments. The ensemble, which has a varying amount of performers, boasts a number of outstanding specialists for historical performance practice. Soloist Robert Levin has made a name for himself as a specialist of historical performance practice and as a musicologist who has edited a reconstructed a number of works. The performance of Mozart’s Concerto K. 537 took place in Salzburg on 1 Februar 1997 during the “Mozartwoche”.
Mozart, Divertimento No.I and III for two Clarinets and Bassoon in B flat major, K. 439b (Mozartwoche 1997)
“Berlin meets Vienna” in this concert of the Ensemble Wien-Berlin. The wind quintet, which often performs in an expanded setting that includes strings, is formed of members of the Vienna Philharmonic and Berlin Philharmonic Orchestras. The ensemble has been guesting throughout the world since 1983. This concert was recorded at the Salzburg “Mozartwoche” in January 1997.
Mozart, Sonata for Bassoon and Violoncello in B flat major, K. 292 (Mozartwoche 1997)
The ensemble “Berlin trifft Wien” – Berlin Meets Vienna – consists of members of the Vienna Philharmonic and Berlin Philharmonic Orchestras. The ensemble has been touring the entire world since 1983 now. The bassoonist Milan Turkovic is one of the few internationally known bassoon soloists. He was solo bassoonist of the Vienna Symphony until 1984 and has since been devoting himself exclusively to his solo activity. The cellist Gerhard Iberer, born in Graz in 1958, has been a cellist with the Vienna Philharmonic since 1985.
Mozart, Divertimento “Le nozze di Figaro” for two Clarinets and Bassoon (Mozartwoche 1997)
Three pieces were arranged in the Divertimento “Le nozze di Figaro”: the rondo “Al desio di chi t’adora” K. 577, which Mozart wrote as replacement for Susanna’s aria “Deh vieni non tardar”, as well as Cherubino’s arietta “Voi, che sapete” and Figaro’ aria “Non più andrai, farfallone amoroso” ro from “Le nozze di Figaro.”
Mozart, Quintet for Horn, Violin, two Violas and Violoncello, K. 407 (Mozartwoche 1997)
The ensemble “Berlin trifft Wien” – Berlin Meets Vienna – consists of members of the Vienna Philharmonic and Berlin Philharmonic Orchestras. The ensemble has been touring the entire world since 1983 now. The Quintet was recorded at the 1997 Salzburg Mozartwoche.
Mozart, Divertimento in F major, K. 247 (Inclusive March in F major, K. 248) (Mozartwoche 1997)
The Divertimento K. 247 and the March K. 248 were recorded at a concert given by the Wiener Kammerensemble at the Salzburg Mozarteum on 31 January 1997 during the Mozart Week Festival. The ensemble was founded in 1970 by prominent members of the Vienna Philharmonic. With a flexible combination of musicians and instruments, it performs its broad repertoire in many great musical centers of the world.
Schubert, Octet in F major, D. 803, op. 166 (Mozartwoche 1997)
The Wiener Kammerensemble was established in 1970 by several prominent members of the Vienna Philarmonic Orchestra as the “Wiener Philharmonisches Kammerensemble.” In alternating formations – from trio to nonet – it performs its wide repertoire of works at many of the world’s most important venues. Unitel recorded Schubert’s Octet on 31 January 1997 at a concert which the ensemble gave at the 1997 Salzburg Mozartwoche.
Mendelssohn, Spinnerlied
The great Russian pianist Emil Gilels was universally acclaimed for his breathtaking performances of the most demanding concertos and most challenging piano pieces of piano literature. But he was also a master of the miniature form, and his “Songs Without Words” and other little pieces by Mendelssohn, Schumann, Chopin, Grieg and others were nothing short of mesmerizing. A specialist of the German repertoire, Gilels gave an all German-Austrian program at the 1971 Carinthian Summer Festival in Austria, where the “Spinnerlied” was recorded.
Arriaga, Overture to “Los Esclavos Felices” (Mozartwoche 1997)
The little-known composer Juan Crisóstomo de Arriaga (1806-1826) was called the “Spanish Mozart” and died prematurely of consumption shortly before his 20th birthday. Born in 1943, the English conductor John Eliot Gardiner initially devoted himself to the historical performance practice of the music of the 17th and 18th centuries. In 1990 he founded the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, which specializes in music of the classical and romantic eras and always has exciting surprises in store for its audience. Gardiner numbers among the most renowned opera and concert conductors of the late 20th century.
Mozart, Piano Concerto in E flat major, K. 271 (Jeunehomme Concert)(Mozartwoche 1997)
Born in 1943, the English conductor John Eliot Gardiner initially devoted himself to the historical performance practice of the music of the 17th and 18th centuries. In 1990 he founded the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, which specializes in music of the classical and romantic eras and always has exciting surprises in store for its audience. Gardiner numbers among the most renowned opera and concert conductors of the late 20th century. Soloist in this concerto is the internationally renowned Portuguese pianist Maria Joao Pires.