Mozart: Duo for violin and viola in B flat major, K424

The Duos for Violin and Viola by Mozart have long been favourite pieces of ours – pieces we'd take out and play when there wasn't a keyboard player or cellist to hand, or busk as teenagers to earn extra pocket money. Back then, the audience's response clearly indicated how appealing these pieces were as our takings always doubled when we played them! These works never cease to amaze – Mozart uses the two instruments so effectively and with such exquisite craftsmanship that he never leaves one wondering where the rest of the string quartet might have gone….They are also hugely engaging to play and so endlessly rich and interesting that the appeal to the listener is guaranteed.

Mozart's reference to other genres is always fascinating. In this case the writing is dramatic, operatic even (the violin taking the role as soprano diva (!) and the viola as the heroic tenor?!). One could perhaps go as far to say that these duos are distillations of the art of chamber music as in the Haydn quartets, but more naturally recreational and less self-conscious. For a violist they are about as exposed as you can be; hitherto very few sonatas or con certi had been written for solo viola - and the accompaniment would seldom have been as scant as a single violin. The conversational and imitative nature of the writing allows for freedom and characterization, and it was refreshing and rewarding to be as spon taneous as possible in the recording sessions.

It was also a diverting and enjoyable experience to record two of the Michael Haydn duos, previously unknown to us both. The character of these pieces is often reminiscent of Austrian folk music and it really seems as if you can hear the yodelling vernacular bouncing off the mountains in timely echoes. The challenges in these works are quite different to those of his friend Wolfgang – the demands placed on the violinist are obvious as the writing is busy, yet in need of a casual fluidity, whereas the violist has the task of being constantly inventive with material which is largely accompanimental (melody and bass, in effect). Who knows? Maybe Wolfgang and Michael tried these out during Mozart's visit to Salzburg when he helped his friend complete a set of six Sonatas in 1783.

Reissued on Calliope, this recording is performed by Jan TALICH Jr. – violon, Jan TALICH Sr. – alto, viola, the TALICH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA, and is conducted by Kurt REDEL. It was recorded in Prague in 1992.

In the 19th century there are numerous examples of musical transcriptions. Mozart himself was not adverse to this practise, his reasons for doing so being varied and interesting. At times pecuniary reasons governed his writings as, for instance, when he carried out Van Swieten’s commissions to re-orchestrate some great works by Handel (amongst them Messiah). These reductions, however, were often done to flatter an interpreter’s ego.

One could not accuse Patrick Gallois and Pierre-Henri Xuereb of this - their playing is sober and well phrased, filled with all the poetry inherent in Mozart’s music, and their transcriptions are intelligent and pure in style. They took inspiration from an adaptation of The Magic Flute dating from 1792 for two identical instruments (2 flutes or 2 violins). Opera connoisseurs will certainly find pleasure in the freshness of the present evocation.

Of even greater interest is the transcription of the Duos K423 and K424. These works are seldom performed, possibly due to the fact that the original scoring for violin and viola appears to lack depth and could seem colourless. It is, therefore, an original idea to separate the two parts, entrusting one to the flute. The counterpoint then stands out boldly, and this puts new life into two little-known works.

All the works on this recording were written by composers who themselves played the violin. Their intimate knowledge of the instrument is clearly evident in the music. The works are all very different, but each is expressive and idiomatic and the violin and viola have equal voices. Elise Båtnes appears as a soloist with leading orchestras and conductors around the world.

Outstanding performances by Maya Magub and Judith Busbridge of Michael Haydn's (brother of Joseph) four duos for violin and viola, with the two composed as a favour by his friend, W A Mozart, when Michael Haydn had become too ill to complete the original commisssion for the six duos.

Concerto is an independent classical label which was launched on the market by Musicmedia at the beginning of year 2000. The Label is mainly focusing on Italian music repertoire as well as Italian composers by widening one’s knowledge of baroque music and antique music up to the 18th century as well as contemporary classical music by featuring young and very talented Italian Artists, by also discovering repertoire which is not so well known. This, the newest release, features Francesco Manara, Simonide Braconi and Massimo Polidori playing Mozart KV423, KV424 and KV563.

Philippe Graffin’s enterprise and ingenuity have been borne out in the world-premiere recording of the Violin Concerto by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (AV 0044), a disc of commissions and premieres by Lithuanian composer Vytautus Barkauskus (AV 2073), and the first recording of the original manuscript versions of Elgar’s Violin Concerto and Chausson’s Poème (AV 2091). He proves himself an equally eminent Mozartian on his latest Avie release, a two-disc set marking his second collaboration on Avie with the leading Japanese violist Nobuko Imai. In the sprightly Sinfonia Concertante, two delightful Duos, the Third Concerto plus an Adagio and a Rondo, the multi-tasking Graffin takes on the roles of soloist, chamber musician, director, and composer of his own cadenzas. He is backed by the versatile Brabant Philharmonic Orchestra of Eindhoven, The Netherlands. The stylish packaging features another typical twist by the resourceful Graffin, who commissioned leading journalist and novelist Jessica Duchen to write a short story for the booklet, which also includes Avie’s trademark comprehensive documentation in three languages.