Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
The Violin Concertos / Sinfonia Concertante

Mozart's creative genius was and is unparalleled. Let me be clear, it's not that J.S. Bach, Beethoven (whom I personally adore), and other greats aren't geniuses of the same or even superior value, but he was an inimitable prodigy from a young age. His greatness, unsurprisingly, manifested already in his tender age. Therefore, it should not be surprising that his violin and orchestra concertos are so beautiful, expressive, and rich in inventiveness. In fact, these were written when Mozart was not yet twenty. Specifically, the five compositions were created during the year 1775. Of all these, the most well-known is probably K.219, which is the violin and orchestra concerto number 5.

Last year, Deutsche Grammophon published a double CD from the Archiv series. Archiv has been a point of reference for several years. The purpose of D.G.'s label is to publish recordings of the highest artistic value using period instruments. The double disc includes the five violin and orchestra concertos and the magnificent "Sinfonia Concertante" for viola, violin, and orchestra (K. 364). The performances were entrusted to the young and talented "Orchestra Mozart," led by the great Claudio Abbado. The solo violinist is the renowned and excellent Giuliano Carmignola, who in these concerts, once again proves to be a great interpreter of 18th-century music.

In particular, one is struck by the musicality expressed by the entire orchestra, which also includes two violone players (the precursor to the modern double bass). In the "Sinfonia Concertante" the viola solo parts are performed by the brilliant Danusha Wasliewicz. In this composition, the viola, the violin (which are the soloists), and the orchestra showcase their great expressive qualities, moving the listener who remains stunned by such musical beauty.

The credit for all this also goes to Abbado's skillful direction, who in his category is considered a unique master, one who never disappoints. His discography is the proof of this. All three movements of the symphony are wonderful. The nearly 28 minutes of music fly by without ever tiring. Among the five concertos, the performances of numbers 3 and 5 are surely worth mentioning. In conclusion, the album proves to be indispensable for all these reasons, particularly because Giuliano Carmignola also uses a famous violin by Antonio Stradivari (the "Baillot" of 1732), one of the last violins made by the great Cremonese luthier.