The name of conductor
Reinhard Goebel is virtually synonymous with the early music/period-performance practice movement. Perhaps the most notable of his many achievements is the 1973 creation and direction of
Musica Antiqua Köln, with which
Goebel won countless awards. This Oehms Classics album, entitled Mozart in Paris, is slightly outside the box for
Goebel. For one, we hear him at the helm of the
Bayerische Kammerphilharmonie rather than
MAK. The music for the program is from around 1778 rather than the Baroque. Still,
Goebel is able to show the same level of insight and attention to detail that has earned him so much respect with
MAK. The program selection features works that would have been performed during
Mozart's 1778-1779 visit to Paris. It includes, of course,
Mozart's "Paris" Symphony, a Sinfonia by his friend J.C. Bach, as well as works by three lesser known composers: Simon Leduc, Chevalier de Saint-George, and Pierre-Montan Berton L'Ainé. The performances of these last three composers are, in fact, premiere recordings. With the exception of the overly exuberant and at times obnoxious timpani, the orchestra provides an elegant, refined, and shimmering performance of the entire program. The
Mozart symphony, in particular, is precise and energetic and rivals the performance of the
Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. Violin soloist Yura Lee gives an adequate but uninspiring performance of the Saint-George Concerto. But this album is clearly much more about the orchestra than the soloist and is a very enjoyable way to not only hear a wonderful
Mozart performance, but also gain exposure to the compositions of his contemporaries.