A new album W.A Mozart: Sonatas for Violin and Piano, featuring the Director of College and Chapel Music, Andrew Arthur, alongside the acclaimed violinist, Peter Hanson, was released by Resonus Classics this week. It was recorded, pre-Covid, in the beautiful and historic surroundings of the College Chapel.
Andrew, whose discography is extensive, said: “Peter plays on an original 18th-century violin, bearing gut strings, by the celebrated craftsman, Giovanni Battista Guadagnini, and he uses a late 18th-century bow by the English maker, John Dodd. The instrument on which I play is a stunning copy, by Paul McNulty, of a fortepiano made by Anton Walter – the maker of the piano which Mozart himself owned from 1782 onwards and on which he played everything, both in his study and for all public performances. It was a truly memorable experience to perform together on these wonderful period instruments in the College Chapel, whose intimate dimensions and clear, natural acoustic proved ideal for the recording of Mozart’s inspired chamber music.”
The album features four sonatas (K. 301, K. 304–5 & K. 454), each of which was dedicated to an exceptional woman of the time; with the aristocratic dedication of the ‘Kurfürstin’ sonatas for the Electress Maria Elisabeth Auguste of Sulzbach (K. 301–6) and K. 454’s dedication to Regina Strinasacchi – a performer of particular talent who gave the first performance with Mozart at the piano.
