Mozart: Complete Flute Quartets

Featuring

Andrea Manco
Andrea Pecolo
Gianluca Muzzolon
Joël Impérial
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

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Historical Context

The period in which Mozart composed his flute and string quartets, roughly 1756 to 1827, was marked by the mechanization of the flute, with the addition of keys improving intonation and expanding technical possibilities.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Despite Mozart's stated aversion to the flute, the quartets on this album are considered undisputed jewels of the flute repertoire, showing no trace of hatred or listlessness in their composition.

Compositional Technique

The 'Theme and Variations' movements in Mozart's quartets feature a strong 'characterization' for each variation, akin to operatic characters, with instruments used to emphasize antithetical positions, making each quartet a 'playful drama'.

Performer Biography

Andrea Manco, the flutist on this album, is the First Flute of the Orchestra of the Teatro alla Scala and the Scala Philharmonic since 2015, and has won numerous international flute competitions.

Compositional Technique

Mozart's flute quartets extensively use material from opera and lieder, with the 'solo' instrument accompanied by three strings, reflecting the lyrical nature of operatic arias within a contrapuntal structure.

Composer Biography

Mozart expressed a strong dislike for the flute, stating in his correspondence that he 'cannot bear' the instrument, possibly due to misunderstandings with the Dutch flautist De Jean, for whom he was forced to write.

Performer Biography

Gianluca Muzzolon, the cellist, is a permanent section cellist in the Orchestra of the Teatro alla Scala of Milan since April 2016 and plays on a Giovanni Grancino cello dated 1720.