Several centuries ago, Mannheim had a celebrated Court Orchestra that attracted numerous composers. This selection, marking Freiburger Barockorchester’s debut on DG, offers numerous inventive pieces, some in premiere recordings, of dynamic music, crescendos being but one famous Mannheim capability. Pieces by Vogler and Cannabich, the latter’s Symphony 55, prove attractive, fully exploiting what the Mannheim musicians were capable of, more than matched by the Freiburgers and Gottfried von der Goltz, leader and director, and he’s also the distinguished soloist in a Violin Concerto by Danner. A Sextet movement by Toeschi offers chamber music (woodwinds & strings) before a dramatic Overture by Holzbauer restores dynamics (and timpani) as a preface to Mozart, an Italian aria beautifully sung by Nicole Chevalier, with a nod to the operatic stage, and then his lively Symphony in C that is outside of the Forty-One if listed in Köchel’s catalogue as K208/102 (213c), making use of music from Il re pastore in a rendition of panache, rhythmic vitality and shapely lyricism. DG 486 3502.
Deutsche Grammophon releases “Mozart’s Mannheim” with Freiburger Barockorchester, Gottfried von der Goltz & Nicole Chevalier.
