Viva la liberté

marklackeydotnet

A playful, intelligent Oxford from a wonderful-sounding group; the strings are rich without vibrato, while the winds beautifully highlight the ensemble sound and, ending the Adagio, produce a satisfying blend of their own. The obbligato cello, so expressive in the introduction, focuses the low strings throughout and provides contrast to the full force of the ensemble. Improvised lines and startlingly harp-like arpeggios from the fortepiano dispense with "score-as-holy-writ." Other liberties include the dreamily slow introduction, the sudden comical propulsion in the trio, and the wild ride of the Finale. H.C.R. Landon’s edition is marked "25 minutes," and the Freiburgers make an exciting argument for briskness. In terms of balance, the timpani are surprisingly forward. With their loudest notes the recording is slightly choked, lacking the spaciousness often achieved by Harmonia Mundi, though I suspect that this is a weakness of this MP3 transfer. ~ML