Orpheus Chamber Orchestra - Mozart: Complete Wind Concertos (2002)

This is a great set. As others have mentioned, all the works performed here by the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra compare with the very best performances of these concerti to be found on individual discs.

The inclusion of K.297b was an excellent choice by DG. Although some doubt that the work is entirely Mozart's (some claim that he would not have written a concerto with all movements in the same key, or that the orchestral accompaniment is the work of another) I think the proof is in the pudding - who else could have written such brilliant wind parts? The OCO plays it with just the right mix of mirth and wistfulness. Just a huge bonus that it is included in this set.

Of the soloists, Charles Neidich deserves special mention for his brilliant basset clarinet playing of the great K.622. If you've only heard this performed with an "A" Clarinet, you will be in for a real treat. The lower register of the basset clarinet gives this piece more depth. The adagio is wonderful, full of depth and wistfulness. I was stunned at how beautiful and spontaneous it sounds here, sans conductor. It is one of the better K.622's I've heard in my lifetime (the very best would have to be Wolfgang Meyer's transcendant account with the Concentus Musicus Wien under Harnoncourt (Teldec) with Anthony Pay's good-humored collaboration with Hogwood and the AAM (Lyre) a close second - but this is right up there - and with a sweeter orchestral sound (modern instruments) vis-a-vis the Meyer and Pay renditions.

There are no "lesser" works on this disc - and none of these masterpieces is badly played. The Horn Concerti and Oboe Concerto are very good (my absolute favorite versions of these works are Neville Marriner's early 70's collaborations with Alan Civil on the Horn and Neil Black on Oboe) and the Bassoon and Flute Concerti are also very well played.

As for the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, once again they defy the odds by delivering masterly performances without the benefit of a conductor. It is a testament to their chemistry and love of this music that they could play such complex works of art without losing anything in translation. I've heard a lot of bad Mozart as a result of soloists conducting from a piano bench (Baremboim being the most notable offender) but perhaps, as other reviewers have pointed out, Wind soloists have an easier time of it - after all they can stand in front of the rest of the band and make eye contact with their fellow players etc.

The sound here is 80's digital - although slightly dry, the performances are all very well mic'd and you can hear the most minute details very clearly. Even if these were full price individual discs I would recommend these performances; the fact that DG managed to pack all of this into a trio of budget CD's makes this a must buy for anyone looking to acquire some of Mozart's best writing for Winds.