Davide Penitente

A rarely performed Mozart piece is showcased in this unusual 2015 Mozartwoche (Mozart Week) presentation from Salzburg. The work itself is a cantata composed in 1785 for the Vienna Society of Musicians, while the text is derived from an Italian translation of the Psalms attributed to King David. But except for two elaborate new arias, the music simply recycles the eight sections of the two completed portions—the Kyrie and Gloria—of Mozart's otherwise unfinished Mass in C minor. Although the placement of performers on different levels at the rear of the stage leads to some slight coordination problems, the cantata is beautifully performed by three excellent soloists—soprano Christiane Karg, mezzo-soprano Marianne Crebassa, and tenor Stanislas de Barbeyrac. And the Salzburger Bachchor, accompanied by the original-instrument group Les Musiciens du Louvre, play with great finesse under conductor Marc Minkowski. What sets this performance apart is the locale: the Salzburg Felsenreitschule (Riding School)—a stonewall structure previously used for opera productions, but here reverting to its original purpose as members of the Académie équestre de Versailles, under their leader Bartabas, ride their steeds in varied formations across the sand-covered stage in tandem with the music. Presented in DTS 5.1 (DTS-HD 5.1 on the Blu-ray release) and PCM stereo, extras include Minkowski's reading of Mozart's Adagio and Fugue in C minor. A one-of-a-kind production that should appeal to fanciers of horsemanship and/or Mozart rarities, this is recommended. (F. Swietek)