Mozart: Eine kleine Nachtmusik; Divertimento in D; others.(Sound recording review)

Mozart: Eine kleine Nachtmusik; Divertimento in D; others. Concerto Koln. Archiv 00289 477 5800.

Over the past two decades or more, I have come to respect and in some cases love the performances of period-instruments bands. But it does seem to me that they can sometimes put such a stress on what they consider authenticity that they lose sight of the fundamental warmth of a piece. So it is with some of the work I've heard from Concerto Koln.

The ensemble plays with vigor and enthusiasm, and they play flawlessly. Yet too often on this album of short Mozart works they seem to be racing Europa Galante to the finish line. The playing is stimulating, sometimes heart pounding with excitement, while at the same time draining the music of much of its charm. OK, perhaps one has to give up sometime to gain something else, and certainly at the pace these works are performed, they set themselves apart from most others. But it doesn't mean everyone has to like it.

Things begin with the overture to Die Zauberflote, and it's here, right at the start, that we notice the direction the musicians are taking. They are clearly going for an adrenaline rush and, I believe, they are missing Mozart's innate charisma. For instance, The Magic Flute is just that, a magical journey filled with ...