Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

On 6th April 2009, in the middle of the night, an earthquake devastated the town of l’Aquila. More than 300 people were killed, thousands were wounded, and half the inhabitants of this town of 70.000 were left homeless.

This cold description hides even more tragic realities. A great number of historical monuments were damaged or destroyed in this1,000 year-old city, with its 99 squares, churches and parishes, a wealthy wooltrading centre since time immemorial. Having found refuge in hotels, tents, or with friends, without having been able to go back for their belongings since the authorities declared that the risk of buildings crumbling was too great, these unfortunate people live from one day to the next and will take years to recover from this cataclysm. For the musicians of l’Officina Musicale in l’Aquila, the situation is tragic: some lost their houses, some their instruments and others a loved one. Their director, Orazio Tucella, only had seconds to save himself by jumping through a second floor window. Badly wounded, he and his wife were taken in at a hostel in the village of San Stefano di Sextantia, whose owner had to lend him a shirt, for they had lost everything. This disc aims to bring new life to the musicians of l’Aquila, to enable them to restart their activity, to claim that hope never dies, even when misfortune strikes. The main part of the profits from this disc will go to these musicians to help them acquire the bare necessities. Our friends have chosen a light and charming repertoire, accessible to the larger public but of exemplary quality, to conjure sadness and bring back joy.

L’Officina Musicale is established in L’Aquila and is resident in the medieval villages of S. Stefano di Sessanio and Rocca Calascio, in the Gran Sasso National Parc.

What happens when great composers arrange each other’s works? J.S. Bach gave Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater a new text and a new viola part, making a fresh piece that speaks both of Germany and Italy. Mozart gave string players the pleasure of playing fugues from the Well-tempered Clavier II . Fresh arrangements by The Bach Players complete the set of all the four-part fugues from this work.

“central to this beautifully put-together disc is Bach’s exquisite arrangement of Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater. Bach sets to it a German version of Psalm 51, ‘Tilge Höchster meine Sünden’, which is sung here by soprano Rachel Elliott and alto Sally Bruce-Payne, sparring delicately over the velvet accompaniment of the full ensemble. Bach improves Pergolesi – and Mozart’s enclosing take is due homage.” Classic FM , February 2009

“The performance is a delight from start to finish... In short, no rival version that I have heard on disc, and there are several, matches this one. Well-judged tempos and an ideal recorded sound set the seal on a particularly satisfying issue. To hell with the credit crunch, go and buy it, at once.” Nicholas Anderson, International Record Review

”Evidence of fingers exceptionally vigorous, nimble and purposeful." BBC Music Magazine

“He plays with a light, sparkling touch and singing melodies, with tasteful and unexaggerated expression." Fanfare

For more than ten years Gottlieb Wallisch has captivated audiences from many of the world’s major concert platforms with his playing. Wallisch’s debut on Linn Records, ‘Mozart in Vienna’, features a selection of Mozart’s best-loved works, all composed in Vienna during one of the composer’s most fruitful periods: 1781-1791.

Wallisch expertly demonstrates Mozart’s quintessential style: his skill at improvisation (Fantasie KV 397), his humour (Variationen KV 455) and his more intimate, melancholic side (Rondo KV 511).

Two of Mozart’s finest sonatas are also included and they allow Gottlieb to display his deep understanding of the music of his fellow Austrian, as well as his impressive technical and interpretative skills.

The Viennese pianist has performed this repertoire internationally to great acclaim: “Wallisch proved himself to be an exceptional performer of Mozart” (Neue Ruhr Zeitung).

Recorded in St George’s, Bristol, which is regarded as one of the best chamber venues in Britain, Gottlieb gives a stylish and individual performance of some of Mozart’s finest piano works.

Born into a family of Viennese musicians, Gottlieb Wallisch is a competition prizewinner and a respected artist in the Viennese piano tradition.

Gottlieb Wallisch has performed with many leading orchestras including Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, the London Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. He has performed at prestigious London venues Wigmore Hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall.

Gottlieb participated in the international cycle "Rising Stars" and gave solo recitals in many European capitals as well as New York’s Carnegie Hall.

The famous “Moscow Soloists’ Trio” Dmitry Bashkirov, Igor Bezrodny and Michael Homitser are brilliant musicians and strong personalities. Their every phrase is born spontaneously and freely as if it were an improvisation but does not break the unity of the ensemble.

Recorded in the Musikhalle Hamburg on 25th May, 1959.

The works by de Falla and Dvorák were recorded in Milan in 1959. The bonus Mozart piano concerto performed by the legendary pianist Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli in Rome in 1951.

The American Classical Orchestra recorded the complete Mozart Wind Concerti using the orchestra's principals as soloists. These recordings mark the first comprehensive survey of the concerti by an American period instrument ensemble and conductor. Research into various sources has produced some unique material and instruments for use in these recordings. The American Classical Orchestra was founded by music director Thomas Crawford in 1985 as the Orchestra of the Old Fairfield Academy. It performs on authentic instruments, specializing in repertoire from the 17th to 19th centuries. Interested in reviving and preserving the art of playing period instruments, the American Classical Orchestra also fosters the education of musicians and the public in authentic performance technique. It is comprised of leading period instrumentalists in the New York metropolitan region.

Carlo Morelli made his debut at Alessandria’s Teatro Municipale as Tonio in “Pagliacci” in 1922. In order to avoid having his name confused with that of his brother, the tenor/baritone Renato Zanelli, he adopted “Carlo Morelli” as his stage name. He sang for La Scala, Chicago Civic Opera and the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Her later settled in Mexico and died in 1970.

Although she was born near Paris in 1876, her career had closer ties to Germany than to France. Her debut was in Wiesbaden as Mignon in 1902 and she moved to Berlin in 1905. She sang many roles at the Staatsoper including Carmen, Violetta and Mignon and retired from the stage in 1927. She later made guest appearances in Holland, Scandinavia and several German opera houses.