Ever since its founding in 1979, the Wiener Streichsextett (Vienna String Sextet) has ranked among the most distinguished chamber music ensembles in the international musical world. The six musicians – three of them are actually Viennese – discovered their enjoyment in making music together in their student days. The ensemble has been playing in the formation presented here since 1982. This live recording documents the debut of the ensemble at the Mozartwoche in Salzburg.
Lecture Recital with Walter Levin
Walter Levin was born and raised in Berlin, but emigrated to Palestine in 1938. In 1946 he began studying the violin under Ivan Galamian at the Juilliard School of Music in New York. He was the founder and first violinist of the LaSalle Quartet (1946-1988) and went on tours with this ensemble throughout the world. When the LaSalle Quartet ended its concert activity after more than 40 years, Levin turned to the teaching of young quartet ensembles and worked as a teacher and author in Europe. The Artis Quartet (Peter Schuhmayer and Johannes Meissl, violins; Herbert Kiefer, viola; Othmar Müller, violoncello) was founded at the Vienna Musikhochschule in 1980. The ensemble studied in Vienna and in Cincinnati with the LaSalle Quartet. After winning many awards at the beginning of the 1980s, the group began its international career. The Artis Quartet has been giving its own concert series at the Vienna Musikverein since 1988.
Beethoven, String Quartet in F minor op.95 (Version for Orchestra from Gustav Mahler) (Mozartwoche 2001)
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. The ensemble performs Gustav Mahler’s orchestral arrangement of Beethoven’s String Quartet in F minor op. 95.
Mozart, Piano Concerto No.20 in D minor K.466 (Mozartwoche 2001)
The Japanese musician Mitsuko Uchida (* 1948) ranks among the elite pianists of the world. She moved to Vienna at the early age of 12 to study at the Musikhochschule there. In the 1970s she launched her international career which reached its first climax with her recording of Mozart’s complete sonatas. Since then Uchida has been regarded as an expert for Mozart’s piano works. She is also interested in the works of Haydn, Schubert, Chopin, Schoenberg and Messiaen. Here she brilliantly masters the double task of performing and conducting Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor K. 466. Uchida, a renowned soloist who regularly performs with the Vienna Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic and Chicago Symphony Orchestra, is accompanied by the Camerata Salzburg. The concert was recorded under Horant H. Hohlfeld’s direction at the Mozarteum in Salzburg in March 2001.
Mozart, Piano Concerto No.13 in C major K.415 (Mozartwoche 2001)
Mozart, Symphony No.25 in G minor, K.183 (Mozartwoche 2001)
Written in Salzburg in 1773, the “Little” G minor (thus distinguished from the “Great” G minor K. 550) is one of the most striking works in the group of nine symphonies Mozart wrote in 1773/74, as well as Mozart’s first symphony in a minor key. Music historians have often wondered about the origin of this stormy and dramatic work that echoes the “Storm and Stress” movement surging through Central Europe at that time. K. 183 also follows the model of the minor-key symphonies of other composers such as Joseph Haydn and, particularly, J. C. Bach, whose Op. 6 No. 6 even contains some similar turns. Frans Brüggen was born in Amsterdam in 1934. After pursuing a great career as a recorder virtuoso, he began to devote himself almost exclusively to conducting. In 1981 he founded the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, with which he has gone on tours around the world. He has also led many of the leading orchestras in Europe. The Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg goes back to the “Dom-Musik-Verein und Mozarteum” founded in 1841. Since 1938 it has been an independent institution with professional musicians. It has been the orchestra of the city and the Land of Salzburg since 1958 and, in addition to its activity as opera and concert orchestra, it also performs regularly at the Salzburg Festival and the Mozartwoche.
Haydn, String Quartet in G minor, Hob.III:74 op.74/3 “Reiter-Quartett” (with addition) (Mozartwoche 2001)
The Artis Quartet was founded at the Vienna Musikhochschule in 1980. The ensemble studied in Vienna and Cincinnati with the LaSalle Quartet. After many awards at the beginning of the 1980s, the group began its international career, which has taken it to the major musical venues of the world. The Artis Quartet has been giving its own concert series at the Vienna Musikverein since 1988. This work was recorded at the Salzburg “Mozartwoche” 2001. Here the ensemble plays Haydn’s String Quartet in G minor Hob. III:74, one of the quartets which Haydn wrote for his second London visit in 1794. This work was conceived above all to show off the performers’ skill and virtuosity rather than to explore innovative harmonies and structures.
Mozart/Wendt, Extracts from “Don Giovanni” K.527 (Version for String Quartet) (Mozartwoche 2001)
The Artis Quartet was founded at the Vienna Musikhochschule in 1980. The ensemble studied in Vienna and Cincinnati with the LaSalle Quartet. After many awards at the beginning of the 1980s, the group began its international career, which has taken it to the major musical venues of the world. The Artis Quartet has been giving its own concert series at the Vienna Musikverein since 1988. This work was recorded at the Salzburg “Mozartwoche” 2001. The ensemble chose some rarely heard works by Mozart for its program: four four-part fugues by Bach in arrangements by Mozart (K. 405), and the composer’s own string-quartet arrangements of numbers from his opera “Don Giovanni”.
Bach/ Mozart, Fugues from “The Well-Tempered Clavier”, Part II, No. 5,7,8 and 9 K: 405/2-5 (Version for String Quartet) (Mozartwoche 2001)
The Artis Quartet was founded at the Vienna Musikhochschule in 1980. The ensemble studied in Vienna and Cincinnati with the LaSalle Quartet. After many awards at the beginning of the 1980s, the group began its international career, which has taken it to the major musical venues of the world. The Artis Quartet has been giving its own concert series at the Vienna Musikverein since 1988. This work was recorded at the Salzburg “Mozartwoche” 2001. The ensemble chose some rarely heard works by Mozart for its program, including these four four-part fugues by Bach in arrangements by Mozart (K. 405).
Mozart, “In faccia all’oggetto” from “Mitridate”, K.87 (Mozartwoche 2001)
The Swedish soprano Malin Hartelius comes from Växjö. She studied in Vienna and gained her first stage experiences while still a student. She became a member of the Vienna State Opera Studio in 1989/90, and subsequently of the Vienna State Opera. She then began to appear at all the leading opera houses and concert venues of Europe. Malin Hartelius was employed by the Zurich Opera when this recording was made at the Mozartwoche 2001. Frans Brüggen was born in Amsterdam in 1934. After pursuing a great career as a recorder virtuoso, he began to devote himself almost exclusively to conducting. In 1981 he founded the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, with which he has gone on tours around the world. He has also led many of the leading orchestras in Europe. The Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg goes back to the “Dom-Musik-Verein und Mozarteum” founded in 1841. Since 1938 it has been an independent institution with professional musicians. It has been the orchestra of the city and the Land of Salzburg since 1958 and, in addition to its activity as opera and concert orchestra, it also performs regularly at the Salzburg Festival and the Mozartwoche.