Sinfonia Concertante K297B (1778) - W.-A. Mozart

If correspondences attest that W. A. ​​Mozart composed in Paris in 1778 a Sinfonia concertante for oboe, clarinet, french horn and bassoon, no manuscript has reached us. There remains therefore a doubt about the authenticity of this version listed K297b, although it is still a great success, both with the public and with musicians. Indeed, that Mozart wrote the three movements in the same tone is neither in his habits, nor in use.

For my part, by carrying out this transcription, it seemed to me that the treatment of the orchestral part of the 3rd movement, as of its structure in three parts, differs from the first two and seems to be written in other circumstances. Simple felling... From then on, we can speculate: either the first three movements are authentic, from Mozart's hand, but extracted from different works and edited together in the form of a symphony. But what has become of the original manuscripts? Either one of the movements (the third?) Is apocryphal and the publisher asked an anonymous composer to complete this score. Any other assumption is admissible but without new documents coming to plead in favor or disadvantage of the authenticity of this version, one is satisfied - very largely - of the pleasure which it gets.

The transcription of the wind orchestra part, replacing the strings, will allow this piece to be appreciated in a new tone. The winds of the original orchestration have been preserved, only the strings have been adapted for a group of flutes, clarinets and double bass. The different editions available offer nuances and articulations which have been revised here, so as to: recall the phrasing of the bows, take into account the necessary breaths as well as the harmonization, melodic and rhythmic drawings.

Jean-Jacques Charles

Transcription for :

solo oboe, solo clarinet solo, solo french horn, solo basson

2 oboes

2 french horns

2 flutes

2 Bb Clarinets

1 Basset Horn (or Bb clarinet 3)

1 Bass Clarinet

1 Double Bass

Duration : 28'

Score and parts