Search - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Harald Nerat, Capella Istropolitana :: Mozart: Divertimenti, K 131 & K 287

A wonderful rendition of Mozart's divertimenti

maelstrom1 | 06/07/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Having enjoyed Mozart's serenades, I decided to listen to a few of his divertimento works. One of the first I came upon was this recording of Divertimenti K.131 and K.287 by the Capella Istropolitana and Harald Nerat. The recording of these two divertimenti is wonderful, both artistically and technically. All twelve pieces on this album are well-played and clearly show the talent of the Capella Istropolitana. The Allegros leading off each divertimento are crisp and spirited, displaying the beauty of Mozart's music. Of all the pieces on this album, my personal favorites are the Adagios. Both are nicely performed, produced a serene, almost fantasy-like atmosphere in the mind of the listener. I also enjoyed the Andantes and Menuettos that are parts of the divertimenti, which again demonstrate Mozart's amazing ability to write wonderful masterpieces. I can easily see why the acclaimed Penguin Guide to classical music (1999 edition) gave this recording 3 stars (their best rating). I agree that it is "beautifully turned and polished" and "as refreshing as any period performance". From a technical point of view, this recording is also a success. The sound engineers did a good job of balancing the various sequences and producing excellent sound quality. And one of the best features of this CD, besides the musical performance, is the bargain price of the Naxos label (a personal favorite). Overall, this recording is great in all regards: performance, sound, and price. You would be hard-pressed to find another CD of Mozart's divertimenti of this high quality. Highly recommended."

These are just exquisite

maelstrom1 | 02/02/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this on a bit of a lark...and who could beat the value. What a nice surprise. Elegantly done, well played, delightful on the palette, like a wonderful after dinner drink. Its hard to go wrong with this....reason # 137 for why NO ONE should EVER look askance at NAXOS. By the way, another fabulous Mozart disc by Naxos (same orchestra, but with Barry Wordsworth at the helm) is Mozart opera overtures. Fabulous!"