The Andante from the the Divertimento in D Major, performed on original instruments by the award-winning ensemble Voices of Music.
K. 136 is one of three divertimenti that Mozart wrote in Salzburg in early 1772, when he was only sixteen years old. He was at home in Salzburg during this period, recovering for a few months between two lucrative tours to Italy that he undertook with his father, Leopold Mozart. While the genre of “divertimento” is flexible in terms of form, movement scheme, and instrumentation, these works are generally intended as lighthearted entertainment. Mozart’s 1772 divertimenti are more formally complex than many of their type, but their brevity and transparent textures reveal their purpose as elegant amusements. Here, we also see Mozart’s penchant for active inner voices in full bloom. While performing on the violin was perhaps more lucrative and marketable, Mozart famously preferred playing the viola, and this work offers particularly interesting and fulfilling writing for the viola and second violin (notes by Sophie Benn).
Historical performance of Mozart
Although Mozart and his contemporaries are mainstays of modern concert repertory, historical performances, using the instruments, bows, strings, styles and techniques of the time are relatively rare.
Of the above, the most important was the direction of the orchestra and the skills of the musicians. In the late 18th century, as in the baroque, the orchestra was not conducted, but led from the keyboard or the violin. In addition, audiences came to see virtuosi perform, and the leader of the orchestra was invariably a world-class composer and performer. Mozart was highly skilled both as a violinist and a keyboard player, and at an early age wrote to his father requesting permission to effect a major change in the way his music was performed: that the son lead the orchestra from his preferred instrument, the keyboard, as opposed to the instrument of his father, the violin. In our performances the violin concertos are led from the violin, and the symphonies are led from the keyboard.
Directing the orchestra with an instrument has a unique advantage: the leader is able to speak and spark continuously to the ensemble and audience through the language of music. On the keyboard, the music is completely improvised from the score, just as in the baroque: this creates a unique layer and texture of music which is completely absent in a modern performance.
Period instruments give Mozart a unique sound and unparalleled transparency. Notably, the bass line is supported by the Viennese bass, with five strings, frets, and a different tuning and resonance than the double bass or violone.
Voices of Music Classical Orchestra
Hanneke van Proosdij, leader & keyboard
First violins
Elizabeth Blumenstock, Aniela Eddy,
Augusta McKay Lodge** & Shelby Yamin
Second violins
Lisa Grodin, Kati Kyme* & Linda Quan
Violas
Maria Caswell* Mitso Floor & Anthony Martin
Violoncelli: William Skeen* & Elisabeth Reed
Viennese double bass: Farley Pearce*
**concertmaster *principal
performed on period instruments
#Amadeus
Producer: David Tayler
Audio engineer and ambisonics design: Boby Borisov
Video: Lloyd Hryciw
8K technology: David Tayler
Post production: David Tayler & Andrew Levy