The Gran Partita, misleadingly known as the Serenade for 13 Wind Instruments (despite being written for 12 winds and double bass) is one of Mozart’s greatest works, written in 1781 at the height of his powers.  It is laid out on the largest scale, in seven movements, with the richest harmonie scoring: 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 basset horns, 4 horns, 2 bassoons and bass. Not for nothing did Peter Shaffer make Salieri exclaim in Amadeus that he heard ‘the voice of God’ in the sublime Adagio.  Live performances of the work are understandably rare, and this one has been made possible by our Mozart Wind Project educational initiative, which pairs students studying Classical wind instruments with the members of Syrinx, our 2016 ensemble in residence.

The presence of four horns in the Serenade enables us to include Mozart’s tempestuous and richly scored Symphony no. 25 in G minor (1773), an astonishing achievement for a seventeen year old. The programme is completed by Haydn’s fine but rarely performed Concerto in F major for violin, harpsichord and strings.