"London Sketchbook (1764/5)" is the brainchild of Hans-Udo Kreuels who is a composer, pianist, and professor of piano and song accompaniment at the Vorarlberg Conservatory in Feldkirch. The story begins with the Mozart family taking a 3½ year trip through Europe that commenced in June 1763 when Wolfgang was only seven years old. The Mozarts spent over a year in London where Wolfgang met Johann Christian Bach and was exposed to many new musical trends and ideas.

While in London, Wolfgang independently wrote a number of musical pieces, many of which were left incomplete or in fragments; further, Mozart was not as yet scrupulous concerning his notation, adding to the lack of completeness. Enter Hans-Udo Kreuels who took on the task of realizing and completing a new edition of these very youthful pieces from Mozart.

How good is the 8 year-old Mozart’s music? Very good indeed, although there is a huge gap in the musical inspiration between young Mozart and the tremendous composer he would become. Still, the disc affords us the opportunity to glean some insight into Mozart’s development. Some will consider these early pieces fascinating from a historical perspective.

I wish I could strongly recommend the disc, but the instrumentation is problematic. Although not specified, Kreuels plays a modern piano, and the instrument can’t possibly provide the colors and pungent tones of a fortepiano or harpsichord. As a result, it doesn’t take long for a blandness to set it.

There is another problem that I really didn’t notice until the 28^th Track where the Vorarlberg Conservatory Ensemble enters the picture with strings, flutes and bassoons. The instrumental variety makes the music come alive with a pulse largely missing in the works played on solo piano.

In summary, I feel that Kreuels, in using a modern piano, did not choose wisely in this otherwise well-conceived project. Further, I can easily imagine playing of greater vitality and edge than Kreuels has to offer. Without doubt, a future recording of these works will be made using the harpsichord or fortepiano. I recommend waiting for that recording.

Don Satz