WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756–1791)

 

String Quintets

 

The Nash Ensemble:

Marianne Thorsen, violin

Malin Broman, violin

Lawrence Power, viola

Paul Watkins cello

Philip Dukes, viola

 

CD1

String Quintet in B flat major K174

1 Allegro moderato [9'00]

2 Adagio [8'07]

3 Menuetto ma allegretto – Trio [3'40]

4 Allegro [5'36]

String Quintet in C minor K406

5 Allegro [11'36]

6 Andante [3'56]

7 Menuetto in canone – Trio al rovescio [4'07]

8 Allegro [6'12]

 

CD2

String Quintet in C major K515

1 Allegro [12'28]

2 Menuetto. Allegretto – Trio [5'28]

3 Andante [8'52]

4 Allegro [7'02]

String Quintet in G minor K516

5 Allegro [14'00]

6 Menuetto. Allegretto – Trio [5'02]

7 Adagio ma non troppo [8'01]

8 Adagio – Allegro [9'56]

 

CD3

String Quintet in D major K593

1 Larghetto – Allegro – Larghetto [9'54]

2 Adagio [6'49]

3 Menuetto. Allegretto – Trio [4'56]

4 Allegro [5'05]

String Quintet in E flat major K614

5 Allegro di molto [10'31]

6 Andante [8'02]

7 Menuetto. Allegretto – Trio [4'01]

8 Allegro [5'12]

 

The relatively novel instrumental combination which Mozart used for his string quintets (employing two violas) seems to have been inspired by a work by his friend and colleague Michael Haydn. Throughout his life Mozart loved the dusky sonority of the viola, always his instrument of choice when he played chamber music with friends. Beyond that, prompted by Michael Haydn’s charming, lightweight Notturno, he was evidently eager to explore a medium that enabled him to indulge his fondness for dark, saturated textures and rich inner-part writing.

 

The complete String Quintets is a enchanting body of chamber music, recorded here in a 3-disc set by the peerless Nash Ensemble.

 

Hyperion 3cds CDA67861-3