Contemporaries Of Mozart Collection – Symphonies / Bamert, London Mozart Players Outlet Clearance Store

Matthias Bamert’s ‘Contemporaries of Mozart’ project is one of Chandos’ longest-running and most successful series. The unquestionable genius of Mozart has tended to eclipse the accomplishments of many other composers who were writing at the same time as he. Many of these composers, successful in their day, suffered neglect in subsequent decades and in some cases were almost forgotten. Matthias Bamert’s series has shown just how rich this area of the repertoire is, and each of the CDs has received superb critical acclaim. This uniquely compiled box set comprises five of the most successful CDs in the series to date (many of the works are poorly represented in the catalogue, if at all) and provides an ideal introduction to the repertoire – at bargain price.

Each CD offers a wealth of classically elegant melodies wrapped up in imaginative orchestration. There are three symphonies by the Mannheim master Carl Stamitz, replete with crescendos and the then newfangled clarinets in an orchestra that so impressed Mozart. There are shimmering and rhythmic symphonies by the composer, publisher and piano maker Ignace Pleyel and the graceful and introspective symphonies by Pavel Vranicky, including the unusually titled ‘Grand Characteristic Symphony for Peace with the French Republic’, plus delightful symphonies by Kozeluch and dramatic orchestral music by Krommer, who is better known for his woodwind music.