Peter Whelan - Mozart: Sonata for bassoon and fortepiano - Hi-Fi News

Album Choice

Sound Quality: 90%

Only two Mozart pieces for bassoon remain: the concerto and this three-movement sonata from 1775, published later in Leipzig as for bassoon/cello - here, the cello is replaced by an unspecified fortepiano. Unusually, Linn has released this as a 12-minute ‘single'. Peter Whelan was, of course, soloist on its fine SCO Weber concertos album and others as part of the Ensemble Marsyas. Kristian Bezuidenhout provides a wonderful foil to the bassoon - their unanimity of attack is remarkable - and one or two of his interjections in the Andante stop it from becoming too serious. But it's the rondo finale which you'll enjoy most as it bubbles happily along. Both instruments are in quite close focus in this 2014 St Monan's Church, Fife, production by Philip Hobbs, but separation is clear and the tone colours are attractive.