Symphonies KV. 550, 551: Transcribed for piano, cello, violin and flute

«Mozart’s, Six grand symphonies arranged for the pianoforte with an accompaniment for the flute, violin and violoncello by Clementi». Thus, with Mozart’s name and piano in bold type, is the title page of the printed edition preserved at the British Library of Mozart’s last six Symphonies transcribed by the Italian musician, Muzio Clementi. Two of these, Symphony No. 40 KV 550 and No. 41 KV 551 Jupiter are contained for the first time in this fine Concerto recording.
The danger inherent in all transcriptions is that of alteration-not infrequently substantial-of the original writing. But Cabassi’s words are soothing: “There are no significant interventions by Clementi in terms of dynamics and agogic. Rather, it should be emphasized how the contrapuntal writing of the last tempo of the “Jupiter” is enhanced: by the timbre of the piano first of all, and then by the presence of only four parts. These transcriptions are a confirmation of an idea of my teacher Rosalyn Tureck: absolute music, such as that of Bach and Mozart, prescinds from timbral realization as such.”
The Muzio Clementi transcriptions offered here are beautifully performed by young Davide Cabassi (finalist in the Van Cliburn Piano Competition in 2005) and the Five Lines Piano Quintet.