Sunday, April 5, 2015

Flutist Eric Lamb and Cellist Martin Rummel sustain the sheer joy of 'Mozart (Re)Inventions' through the entire hour of this Ensemble Paladino disc

Mozart (Re)Inventions
Paladino Music
PMR 0050

Eric Lamb, flute
Martin Rummel, cello

On March 3, 2015 AfriClassical posted:

'Quantz Solo Flute Music' is the Debut Solo CD of Acclaimed Flutist Eric Lamb, a Native of Detroit Who is a Co-founder of Ensemble Paladino in Vienna


The post started: Eric Lamb is a highly accomplished American flutist who was born in Detroit July 27, 1978. He is a founding member of Ensemble Paladino, which is based at ORF Radiokulturhaus in Vienna.  His website is  www.fluteaddict.weebly.com.  Eric has begun 2015 with the release of two CDs, Quantz Solo Flute Music PMR 0060 and Mozart (re)inventions PMR 0050.

As was the case with the Quantz recording, Mozart (re)inventions, PMR 0050, is a release of Paladino Music.  Unlike the first disc, this one involves Martin Rummel, cello, along with flutist Eric Lamb.  The two recorded the CD on September 24 and 25, 2014.  The venue was Schloss Weinberg, Kefermarkt, Austria.  Martin Rummel has a website at http://www.martinrummel.com/  It displays a wide range of his recordings, numbering more than three dozen.  Martin Rummel is also the owner of the Paladino Music label.

Three Ages of Mozart - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) lived only to the age of 35, so it is easy to think of the great musical genius as being of a youthful age throughout his career.  Eric Lamb and Martin Rummel present works drawn from three stages of the composer’s life: Prior to age 11; age 27, and age 35.
             
The delicate blending of flute and cello is playfully delightful from the start as the program begins with two brief pieces from The Magic Flute, K 620, Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja (1:27) and Das klinget so herrlich (1:21).  The liner notes tell us the opera “...was premiered in Vienna in 1791, three months before his untimely death.”  

Tracks 3-5 contain the Duo in G Major, K 423, which the notes say was originally composed for violin and viola.  Its movements are Allegro (6:58), Adagio (3:34) and Rondeau, Allegro (5:29).  This work was completed in the same year as the other duo on the program, the Duo in B flat Major, K 424, on Tracks 15-17.  The liner notes explain: “The Duos K 423 and 424 were written in Salzburg during the summer of 1783, as favors for his old friend Michael Haydn.  Later we read “Both K 423 and 424 are respectful nods to the compositional prowess of Haydn.”

Track 6 is Allegro in C Major (2:27).  Tracks 7 through 14 are from the “London Sketchbook.”  According to the liner notes, these works “...were all completed before young Mozart turned 11 years old.”  The recording’s catalog numbers descend from K 620 to K 423, and then by Track 8 one encounters Menuet in G Major, K 1 (1e)!

For the final tracks, Tracks 18 and 19, the program returns to The Magic Flute, K 620, with Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen (1:02) and Wie stark ist nicht dein Zauberton (2:50).  The recording then ends with a total time of 59:40.

We own dozens of Mozart recordings, including several which feature one or more flutes, but the Mozart (re)inventions disc is in a class of its own.  Eric Lamb on flute and Martin Rummel on cello work wonders with these pieces. The sheer joy of the music is sustained through the entire hour.  Our delight in this CD has not waned with repeated hearings. We have taken great pleasure from the playing of Eric Lamb and Martin Rummel.  Paladino Music is turning out recordings at a fast clip, and we look forward to exploring more of them.
Disclosure: A review copy of this recording was provided by the record label.

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