Search - Mozart, Schneider, Coe :: Serenade 10 for 13 Winds / Gran Partita

A great performance of Mozart's Serenade No.10

maelstrom1 | 06/07/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After having listened to a few individual pieces from Mozart's Serenade No.10, I decided to find a recording of the entire work. The first one I came upon was this recording by the Wind Soloists of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, conducted by Alexander Schneider. When I first listened to this recording, I had only recently begun to explore the music of Mozart (and classical music in general). I had no expectations and approached the recording with an open mind. After I finished listening to the entire album once, I had to hear it again. It is an excellent classical music recording with a great performance by the CO of Europe. The conductor Schneider does well to keep the music flowing and creating a solid, cohesive atmosphere in the orchestra. After listening to this rendition of Serenade No.10, I found a few other versions that were nicely done, but this one remains my personal favorite. I can clearly see why the comprehensive Penguin Guide to classical music (1999 edition) gave this album a rank of 3 stars (the best rating). It is undoubtedly a superb performance of beautiful music. The music itself is absolutely wonderful and distinctly shows the genius of Mozart. In particular, I enjoy listening to the 3rd movement (the Adagio) over and over again, especially the opening sequence. After listening to this recording, I was inspired to listen to other works by Mozart and have now amassed a small but relatively decent collection of his symphonies, serenades, diverimenti, and other works. If you have heard Serenade No.10 by another orchestra, try this one out -- you will not be disappointed. It is a solid, enjoyable performance by the CO of Europe under the experience of Schneider and the music shines through in all its beauty. Highly recommended for any classical music lover."