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Whether Beethoven modelled his wind quintet on Mozart’s
is not known (both men wrote only one each) but it’s an attractive work.
By the 1780s the harpsichord had given way to the piano, now a more robust
and loud instrument in its development, thus the balance between the fairly
formidable collective sound of four winds was more manageable (a good
example of the antiphonal effect of piano versus the winds is Track 1:
12’20"). For crooking purposes regarding the French horn, both works
also share the key of E flat major, and Beethoven’s work remains still
very much in the Mozartian classical mould, a slow introduction is used
for each work. After the piano dominates the opening of the lovely Andante,
the oboe, bassoon, and clarinet respectively take the limelight for the
second subject, while the spotlight turns on the horn only as the music
drifts dreamily into the minor (Track 2: 04’ 03"), an exquisite moment
in the work. A jolly Rondo concludes and is highly reminiscent of Mozart’s
Piano Concerto No.22 K.482, also in E flat major and with wind instruments
dominating the orchestral contribution. Perhaps Beethoven was familiar
with that work.
Mozart’s Wind Quintet relates very closely to his piano
concertos (of which seventeen out of the twenty-seven were written in
Vienna) and the absence of string textures only goes to confirm how adept
he was in producing such quality work. He often pairs the wind instruments
off, oboe with bassoon (such as the start of the slow movement) and clarinet
with horn, then brings all four together to contrast with the piano in
assertively loud climaxes. A charmingly simple and bright melody is the
main material for the Rondo finale with its almost comical underpinning
of the ensemble by the bassoon (Track 6: 01’15" and 04’09"),
reminding us that the instrument was one of Mozart’s favourites, but the
minor interlude (Track 6: 02’08") remains the apogee of the movement.
Both works are given stylish performances by this unnamed
ensemble, each player phrasing deftly and sensitively aware of the internal
balance of the group and shining in his or her many solo moments. It would
have been more logical to start the CD with Mozart’s work and follow it
with Beethoven’s, if only to trace the development of this unique combination
of instruments within the canon of chamber music.
Christopher Fifield
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FREE SOUND SAMPLES
(minimum 30 secs)
Quintet in E flat Major op.16:
Grave-Allegro,
ma non troppo
Andante
cantabile
Rondo:
Allegro, ma non troppo
Quintet
in E flat Major K.452:
Largo-Allegro
moderato
Larghetto
Allegretto
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Carol Rosenberger (piano)
