Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin

In the second half of the eighteenth century, it was common for Austrian noblemen to retain their own woodwind ensembles. Think back to the closing scene of the opera 'Don Giovanni', in which the titular hero dines accompanied by an orchestra who play arrangements of popular arias. In addition to adaptations of popular opera arias, original serenades were also composed. These were often little more than light-hearted pieces of background music for special occasions. This was not the case with Mozart, who allowed his serenades to blossom into sublime musical works of art. The brilliant woodwind performers of the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin will be treating you to two of the most beautiful works ever composed in this genre: the solemn 'Nachtmuzik' and the breathtaking 'Gran Partita'. This really is Mozart at his best, with colourful instrumentation and masterful counterpoint. In the 'Gran Partita' he also opts for a luxurious combination of six pairs of woodwind players, and a double bass to strengthen the bass line. This undisputed masterpiece simply had to be included in this 'Mozart con brio'. Enjoy it!