Album

The Salzburg Chamber Soloists are claimed in the booklet to have been formed with the intention "to perform orchestral chamber music with the freedom of soloists." It's not clear what this means, exactly; the group of about 18 musicians actually can boast of fairly precise ensemble work. The most unusual aspect of these readings of Mozart's three divertimenti or Salzburg Symphonies (K. 136, 137, and 138) is the phrasing employed by violinist and leader Lavard Skou Larsen. The strings—actually a fairly large group for these sprightly little pieces—attack strongly and carry through each phrase with a rather hard, unyielding edge. Tempos are quick, and the overall effect is sharp rather than graceful. It's either bracing or harsh, depending on your perspective, but there are plenty of other versions of these pieces out there for listeners who don't take to this unorthodox approach. Another distinctive feature of this release is the presence of some comparative rarities. There are two arrangements of Mozart overtures by the younger Salzburg composer Sigismund Neukomm, who also arranged music by Haydn; he goosed the productions of each composer with additional string and wind parts. The disc concludes with a Symphony in B flat major by Leopold Mozart, a brief little collection of arppegiated chords that is given some heft and bite by Skou Larsen's approach. Those dependent on English-language booklet notes should note the startling sloppiness of the translation provided here ("In 2006, the 250 years celebrities of W.A. Mozart's birth . . ."), but even the original German notes are frustrating, with little information on the more unusual music on the program.

© James Manheim, All Music Guide

CD 1
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer Divertimento in D for String Ensemble (or String Quartet), K.136 Work 17:01 Lavard Skou-Larsen Violin, Salzburg Chamber Soloists Ensemble
1	1.Allegro	5:40			$0.99
2	2.Andante	7:41			$1.49
3	3.Presto	3:40			$0.99
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer Divertimento in Bb for String Ensemble (or String Quartet), K.137 Work 13:36 Lavard Skou-Larsen Violin, Salzburg Chamber Soloists Ensemble
4	1.Andante	7:15			$1.49
5	2.Allegro di molto	3:28			$0.99
6	3.Allegro assai	2:53			$0.99
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer Divertimento in F for String Ensemble (or String Quartet), K.138 Work 12:37 Lavard Skou-Larsen Violin, Salzburg Chamber Soloists Ensemble
7	1.Allegro	5:18			$0.99
8	2.Andante	5:18			$0.99
9	3.Presto	2:01			$0.99
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer Così fan tutte, K.588 (opera buffa)...Act 1 Work Lavard Skou-Larsen Violin, Salzburg Chamber Soloists Ensemble
10	Overture	4:35			$0.99
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer La clemenza di Tito, K.621 (opera seria) Work Lavard Skou-Larsen Violin, Salzburg Chamber Soloists Ensemble
11	Overture: Allegro	4:32			$0.99
Leopold Mozart Composer Sinfonia in B Work 7:27 Lavard Skou-Larsen Violin, Salzburg Chamber Soloists Ensemble
12	1.Allegro	2:53			$0.99
13	2.Andante	2:09			$0.99
14	3.Presto	2:25			$0.99