Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, string quartet in G major KV387 - Ensemble AurorA

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) String Quartet in G major, K. 387 I. Allegro vivace assai [00:00] II. Minuetto: Allegretto [11:22] III. Andante cantabile [18:19] IV. Fuga: Molto allegro [25:54] The String Quartet in G major, K. 387, composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1782, unfolds against a serene and deeply inspiring backdrop. At that time, Mozart was a freelance artist in Vienna, giving private lessons, holding musical salons and concerts, and frequenting the Emperor’s court; on 4 August, he was to marry Constanze. A radiant and energetic joy therefore pervades the entire quartet, whilst still allowing for the necessary exploration of nuances beyond the work’s overall character (expressed most sublimely in the enchanting third movement, the Adagio). The set of six quartets, Op. X, of which K. 387 forms part, not only follows Haydn’s model but was also dedicated to him. It garnered the acclaim and appreciation of the distinguished dedicatee and of numerous other musicians, including Italians (who at the time were devoted to a completely different style), as can be seen in this curious passage: “Atwood then set off for Vienna to complete his studies under W.A. Mozart. My friend arrived in that metropolis just as that distinguished composer had published his six quartets dedicated to Hayden [sic], and he sent me a copy to Naples, along with a letter in which he urged me not to judge them without having heard them several times. I rehearsed them with amateurs and professional musicians, but we were only able to perform the slow movements, and even those rather poorly; I transcribed excerpts into full score, including, amongst others, the fugue in G from the first quartet [KV 387]. I showed it to [Gaetano] Latilla [a famous composer, Niccolò Piccinni’s uncle and first teacher] and, after examining the first movement, he told me it was a truly splendid piece. Having then scrutinised the modulations and ingenious combinations of the second part and reached the recapitulation of the subject, he placed my copy back on the table, exclaiming in utter amazement: «Chisto è ‘o piezzo ‘e museca cchiù bello e cchiù spanto [meraviglioso] c’aggio visto da che so’ vivo!» [This is the most beautiful and marvellous piece of music I have ever seen in my life!]” (Giacomo Gottifredo Ferrari, “Aneddoti piacevoli e interessanti, occorsi nella vita di Giacomo Gottifredo Ferrari”, London 1830). ------------------------------------------------------ Ensemble AurorA with period instruments: ENRICO GATTI, 1st violin ROSSELLA CROCE, 2nd violin SEBASTIANO AIROLDI, viola JUDITH MARIA BLOMSTERBERG, cello (from the CD “On the shoulders of giants”, ARCANA, A373, Outhere Music)