The Wind Serenades of Mozart, Plus Cosi fan tutte and The Marriage of Figaro "It is sublime...it is hard to imagine a better set of performances with better sonics." -American Record Guide, 1991 The wind octet consisting of pairs of oboes, clarinets, horns, and bassoons was one of the most popular instrumental combinations of the Classic and early Romantic eras. It had a special name—Harmoniemusik—which only later became used as a general term for any combination of wind instruments. The three original works by Mozart recorded here are without question among the finest (and most serious) works ever conceived for the medium. Arrangements of operas, such as these by Giovanni Went (Johann Nepomuk Wendt), were commonly made in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, primarily as courtly entertainment. In a performance like this, the specific dramatic situation of each aria seems insignificant. Meant as entertaining background music, these excerpts should be joyously familiar to many listeners. © 2002 Robert Levin Track List: Serenade No. 10 in B-flat, K. 361/370a for 12 winds & contrabass 1. Largo—Molto allegro 2. Menuetto; Trio 1/Trio 2 3. Adagio 4. Menuetto: Allegretto; Trio 1/Trio 2 5. Romance: Adagio; Allegretto; Adagio 6. Tema con variazione: Andante (I - VI) 7. Finale: Molto allegro The Marriage of Figaro for eight winds & contrabass 8. Overtura 9. Introduzione 10. Se a caso madama 11. Se vuol ballare, signor Contino 12. Non più andrai, farfallone amoroso 13. Porgi, amor 14. Crudel! perchè finora 15. Sull’aria. Che soave zefiretto 16. Ecco la marcia, andiamo! Total playing time 73:40 CD2: Così fan tutte for eight winds & contrabass 1. Overtura 2. Ah guarda, sorella 3. Sento, o Dio! 4. Bella vita militar! 5. Un’ aura amorosa 6. Una donna a quindici anni 7. Prenderò quel brunettino 8. Il core vi dono 9. Fortunato I’uom Serenade No. 11 in E-flat K. 375 for eight winds 10. Allegro maestoso 11. Menuetto/Trio 12. Adagio 13. Menuetto/Trio 14. Allegro Serenade No. 12 in C minor K. 388/384a, for eight winds 15. Allegro 16. Andante 17. Menuetto in canone/Trio in canone al rovescio 18. Allegro Total playing time: 73:37 Recorded in 1979 New York Philomusica Records NYPm30014 Manufactured by: New York Philomusica Records, 105 West 73rd Street New York, NY 10023 A. Robert Johnson, Executive Producer An Elite Recordings NYC Production: producing - engineering Marc Aubort, Joanna Nickrenz Cover Design: Morton Millen