Symphonies KV. 550,551

«Mozart's, Six grand symphonies arranged for the pianoforte with an accompaniment for the flute, violin and violoncello by Clementi»: this is how the title appears on the title page of the print edition of Clementi's transcription of Mozart's last six Sinfonie, housed in the British Library. Two of these works, Simphony  nr. 40 KV. 550 and  Simphony  nr. 41 (KV. 551 "Jupiter") are now available for the first time on this recording. The danger that lurks in all transcriptions – and frequently it is considerable –  is that of altering something in the original writing. However, Cabassi's words on this are reassuring Clementi makes no significant changes in as far as the dynamics and the agogica are concerned. Rather, it should be noted how the counterpoint in the last tempo of the "Jupiter" is exulted, in the first place by the tonal voice of the piano and then too by the fact that there are only four parts. These transcriptions are a confirmation of an idea my Maestra Rosalyn Tureck had: true music, like that of Bach and Mozart, rises above its tonal realization because it is true music. Muzio Clementi's transcriptions are splendidly performed by 2005 Van Cliburn Piano Competition finalist Davide Cabassi and Five Lines piano quintet.

View Also: Davide Cabassi, Gisella Curtolo, Lucio Labella Danzi, Luigi Lupo

Iconography: Gianluca Corona, Nuova Primavera, 2010, oil on wood

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