Leopold MOZART (1719-1787)
Divertimento Militare, Cioè Sinfonia D-Dur (ca.1755) [19:53]
Sinfonia Burlesca in G (1760) [14:51]
Sinfonia Pastorella für Corno Pastoriccio G-Dur (1751) [12:18]
Sinfonia in G (1753) [7:19]
Sinfonie in G ‘Neue Lambacher’(1769) [17:48]
Münchener Kammerorchester/Hans Stadlmair
rec. 29-31 January 1998, Studio 2, Bayerischer Rundfunk, München
TUDOR 7066 [72:38]
Leopold MOZART (1719-1787)
Musikalische Schlittenfahrt [14:32]
Kinder-Sinfonie - Cassatio in G [18:24]
Sinfonie D-Dur [12:41]
Sinfonia da Caccia in G [13:13]
Münchener Kammerorchester/Hans Stadlmair
rec. 1995, dates and location not given.
TUDOR 737 [59:03]
Hans Stadlmair may not be one of the most familiar names on the conductor’s
rostrum, but as artistic director of the Münchener Kammerorchester from
1956 to 1995 he had nearly four decades in order to make innumerable concert
tours, radio broadcasts, and a wide variety of commercially available recordings,
including the complete symphonies of Joseph Joachim Raff. I first came across
his work with some of the more ‘novelty’ works of Leopold Mozart
on an Orfeo CD which has a fun recording of the ‘Peasant Wedding’
Sinfonia, which includes bagpipes and a hurdy-gurdy in the outer movements.
The brightly refreshing and refined orchestral sound Stadlmair obtains from
his band is consistent through all of these recordings, making for a pleasurable
listening experience even where the staying power of the music itself is not
necessarily of the highest order. I’m not sure how much attention we
would be paying to Leopold Mozart if he wasn’t the father of Wolfgang
Amadeus, but as things go we probably have quite enough to keep us going right
here.
Really? Is this fair? Starting with TUDOR 7066, the sense of fun and lightness
of touch we know and love from Haydn isn’t so very far from what we
hear in the Divertimento Militare. True, the fife and drum effects
aren’t particularly subtle, but there are some fine melodic touches,
and I love those little wobbly horn trills which add colour to some otherwise
repetitive rondos. Humour is an even stronger element in the Sinfonia Burlesca,
with some gorgeously novel elements: what now seem banal musical platitudes
would have appealed greatly as ‘wrong’ or highly amusing aspects
to this piece, and even now we can relish the heavy octave tread of the bassoon
and some elegant lampooning of antique styles.
The Sinfonia Pastorella introduces the Alphorn or ‘Corno Pastoriccio’,
and some delicious sonorities. The alphorn has a limited repertoire of notes,
and Leopold weaves some strange harmonic inventions to keep up interest in
music which has no hope of modulating to interesting keys. The pastoral feel
is strongest in the final Presto which has several elements prescient
of the peasant dances in Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony. One thing this
CD is not short of is the key of G major, and the lively ‘Lambacher’
symphony is a rousing end to a fine orchestral disc. Dr. Peter Keller’s
useful booklet notes point out that this four movement work is not to be confused
with W.A. Mozart’s K45a three movement ‘Lambacher’ symphony,
composed in the only part of The Hague now rich in second-hand and discount
CD shops.
Stadlmair ensures that there is a clear continuo presence in his orchestral
sound, and the harpsichord helps to ensure that all of these well recorded
works come up fresh and smelling of roses.
Moving on to TUDOR 737, and while the Musicals Sleighride is full of
jingly bells and some nice programmatic effects in the ‘Shivering young
lady’ movement which fans of Vivaldi’s ‘Four Seasons’
can relish, the actual musical content is distinctly unmemorable. Fun effects
are a main feature of the Toy Symphony, here played with plenty of
verve. Arguments abound as to who actually wrote this piece, and the name
of Haydn crops up among others, but whatever the truth this recording is something
to behold in wonderment.
A wind machine played as ‘tuned percussion’, a terrific children’s
choir, a somewhat over-refined recorder Cuckoo, mobile bird calls, rattles
and the rest, this is always going to be a novelty winner. There are a fair
few alternatives to this recording in the catalogue, and they no doubt all
have their own idiosyncratic strengths. If I have any comment on this one
is that it is perhaps too professionally refined and serious, and the sense
of ‘fun’ is only in the instruments used rather than in the manner
of performance.
The final two works are both three movement in form. The Sinfonie in
D major is full of robust energy and major/minor contrast in the opening Allegro
molto, has a nicely eloquent central Andante, and more trumpet
and drum impact in the final Allegro. This is one of those pieces you
don’t expect to make much of an impression, but which turns out to have
a decent enough menu of welcome surprises. Better known is the Sinfonia
da Caccia, replete with recorded hunting sound effects of horse’s
hooves and baying hounds. This, along with some rather weak sounding gunshots,
is something which was done much better by Hermann Baumann on his ‘Concerti
da caccia’ album on Philips, which I seem to recall was all done ‘live’
rather than with tape effects. This is a nice enough recording and very well
played, but doesn’t whip up much excitement and novelty ‘wow’
factor.
The haughty looking doll on the cover of this CD says a great deal - nice
music, but more something for private enjoyment than a disc you will be reaching
for every time Hi-Fi novelty fun-seekers drop by to hear your massive woofers.
Over-politeness aside, this is another attractive disc which is certainly
worth seeking out. Both discs reviewed here, and probably anything else conducted
by Hans Stadlmair you may come across, all have the DC seal of approved quality
and music-safety kite-mark.
Dominy Clements
Consistent quality - approved and appreciated.