Album

Were it not for David Jolley's engaging performances, this fairly ordinary recording of Mozart's Horn Concertos might slip by without much attention. As the soloist in all four concertos and the Concert Rondo, K. 371, Jolley delivers robust interpretations with a warm tone and smooth execution, and his fine playing is consistent throughout the disc. Less satisfying, however, is the orchestral accompaniment provided by the Israel Sinfonietta, directed by Uri Mayer. While the musicians are competent and play cleanly, their performances feel uninspired and workaday, as if the recording sessions had become routine. Mayer strives for a pleasant orchestral blend that puts the solo horn in high relief, but the results are often so homogenous that the wind parts seem neutralized by the strings, and the ensemble hangs back too much. An exception to this may be found in the Romanze, K. 447, where Mozart's distinctive orchestration exposes the winds and requires the most skillful handling of colors. The Sinfonietta's use of modern instruments may not be a difficulty for some listeners, but the lack of period timbres and the orchestra's rather hefty size may strike others as problematic, if not wholly unsatisfactory. Arabesque's sound is decent, though Jolley's microphone is perhaps too close for comfort.

© Blair Sanderson, All Music Guide

CD 1
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer Horn Concerto No.1 in D, K.412 Work 8:44 Uri Mayer Conductor, Israel Sinfonietta Orchestra, David Jolley French Horn
1	1.Allegro	4:43			$0.99
2	2.Rondo: Allegro	4:01			$0.99
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer Horn Concerto No.2 in Eb, K.417 Work 13:03 Uri Mayer Conductor, Israel Sinfonietta Orchestra, David Jolley French Horn
3	1.Allegro maestoso	6:28			$0.99
4	2.Andante	3:07			$0.99
5	3.Rondo: Allegro	3:28			$0.99
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer Horn Concerto No.3 in Eb, K.447 Work 14:47 Uri Mayer Conductor, Israel Sinfonietta Orchestra, David Jolley French Horn
6	1.Allegro maestoso	7:08			$0.99
7	2.Romance: Larghetto	4:06			$0.99
8	1.Allegro maestoso	3:33			$0.99
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer Horn Concerto No.4 in Eb, K.495 Work 15:57 Uri Mayer Conductor, Israel Sinfonietta Orchestra, David Jolley French Horn
9	1.Allegro moderato	8:34			$0.99
10	2.Romanza: Andante cantabile	3:48			$0.99
11	3.Rondo: Allegro vivace	3:35			$0.99
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer Rondo for Horn and Orchestra in Eb, K.371 (fragment) Work Uri Mayer Conductor, Israel Sinfonietta Orchestra, David Jolley French Horn
12	Rondo for Horn and Orchestra in Eb, K.371 (fragment)	6:22			$0.99