Mozart: Flute Quartet No. 2 in G major, K285a

Grumiaux was an inveterate chamber musician and together with his Grumiaux Trio as well as selected soloists, delivers sublime, unforced yet probing performances of Mozart and Schubert.

An important addition to the flute catalogue with many of the works having little or no competition. Whilst the four Mozart Quartets have been recorded a number of times this new recording breaths fresh life into them and also introduces the audience to other rarely recorded flute gems. Mikael Beier, flautist with the Danish Symphony Orchestra is performing these brilliant quartets with three former members of the Royal Danish Orchestra. Along with the Quartets are a selection of virtuoso works for flute and piano. Here is the Paganini of the flute!

Michala Petri’s new recording of W.A. Mozart’s flute quartets is the first time on CD that a recorder replaces the traditional transverse flute in these popular works.

Michala Petri has had a special flute type developed for the Classical repertoire, and for this recording she has hand-picked three of Europe’s leading young string soloists: the much sought-after German violinist Carolin Widmann and two soloists from Gidon Kremer’s elite orchestra Kremerata Baltica, the viola player Ula Ulijona and the cellist Marta Subrada. With these women at the helm Mozart’s quartets are given a new, refreshing sound captured in this release from OUR Recordings in Super Audio CD quality.

This disc was released to mark Michala Petri’s 50th birthday on 7th July 2008.

It’s a family affair with the Beznosiuk siblings – two of Britain’s foremost period-instrument practitioners – joined by flautist Lisa’s husband Richard Tunnicliffe on cello and frequent collaborator Tom Dunn on viola – for a fresh and spirited recording of Mozart’s four sublime and virtuostic Flute Quartets, coupled with Beethoven’s D Major Serenade for the airy combination of flute, violin and viola, which has more than a hint of Mozartian influence.

As soloist, chamber musician and orchestral principle, Lisa has raised the standard of wooden flute performance to unprecedented levels, becoming one of the world’s leading players of the instrument. She has travelled throughout Europe, Asia and North and South America, playing a wide range of 18th and 19th century repertoire, attracting a widespread critical and popular following. Her brother Pavlo made a striking recording for Avie of Biber’s Rosary Sonatas (AV 0038), which uniquely included narrations by noted stage actor Timothy West.

This familial recording is a must for all lovers of chamber music and uncompromising period-instrument performance.