Violinist
Rachel Podger has secured a name for herself as a master interpreter and performer of all things Baroque and early Classical. Her recent recordings of the complete
Mozart violin sonatas thrust her career forward from her already prestigious beginnings as a member of the
Palladian Ensemble and
Florilegium. This Channel Classics album finds
Podger in front of the innovative
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment performing two
Haydn concertos written during his time in the employ of the Esterházy family, as well as the instantly recognizable
Mozart Sinfonia Concertante. Written for Luigi Tomasini, the concertmaster of the Esterházy Court Chapel, the two concertos are filled with dazzling pyrotechnic displays and soulful, sustained melodies, characteristics that play to
Podger's strengths. Any hints of stuffiness or rigidity conjured up when thinking of period instrument performances are at once dispelled with
Podger's vitally enthusiastic but well-controlled approach to her instrument. The
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment likewise focuses on spontaneity, vibrancy, and beauty of tone. Joined by violist
Pavlo Beznosiuk, the
Mozart Sinfonia Concertante is treated with similar energy and excitement. A change of instrument, bow, and strings results in a warmer, more hushed tone from
Podger that provides a nice contrast to the brightness heard in the
Haydn. Keen listeners will also notice that the viola is tuned a half-step higher than usual, which was indicated in
Mozart's original score. The result here is a brighter, more clearly projecting instrument.