MOZART: Clarinet Quintet & Trio, Piano Quintet & Cassation; BEETHOVEN: Piano Quintet; M. HAYDN, M: Divertimento - Vienna Oktett (2 CDs)

This recording forms part of a series of reissues celebrating the glorious Decca recordings from the 1950s-1970s of the Wiener Oktett (Vienna Octet), made up of key principals from the Wiener Philharmoniker and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. Five titles were released in September and the remaining five are released this month.

Receiving their first international release on CD are the Mozart Clarinet Trio, his Cassation (written when the composer was a mere thirteen!), and the piano-and-wind Quintets of Mozart and Beethoven.  The ‘soloists’ within the chamber ensemble – if, as such, one might identify them – are one of the Vienna Octet’s founders, Alfred Boskovsky, and the Octet’s ‘house’ pianist, Walter Panhofer. The mellow writing for the clarinet in both the Mozart Quintets was inspired by the playing of Anton Stadler. This anthology is also unique in that it affords us the only recording on which Willi Boskovsky played the viola – in the ‘Kegelstatt’ Trio. Concluding this anthology is the delightful G major Divertimento by Michael Haydn (Joseph’s younger brother). Found in the British Museum and edited by the Vienna Octet’s bassist, it was often used by the group as a concert opener.

‘the music is entirely winning’ (Mozart Cassation) Gramophone

‘the performance of these Vienna players is superlative’ (Mozart Quintet) Gramophone

MOZART
Clarinet Quintet in A major, KV 581 (rec. 1963)
Clarinet Trio in E flat major, KV 498 ‘Kegelstatt’
Cassation in B flat major, KV 99
Quintet for Piano and Winds in E flat major, KV 452

BEETHOVEN
Quintet for Piano and Winds in E flat major, Op. 16

MICHAEL HAYDN
Divertimento in G major

Alfred Boskovsky, clarinet
Walter Panhofer, piano
Wiener Oktett