The term Harmoniemusik is of a somewhat unclear origin, but it is usually attributed to a chamber ensemble consisting of wind players from a Viennese classical era orchestra, and it was precisely at this time that the clarinet found its place in the orchestras of Vienna. The ensemble, consisting of two oboes, two clarinets, two horns, two bassoons, and a double bass made art music even more accessible than before. In a way, Harmoniemusik was a kind of classical portable stereo system! Everything suggests that Mozart embraced these new possibilities, including the works on this release. Oslo Kammerakademi performs chamber music for winds with the historical Harmoniemusik instrumentation as a foundation. Founded by artistic director and oboist David Friedemann Strunck, the ensemble has established itself as a leader in Europe, with critically acclaimed recordings and invitations to prestigious festivals. The ensemble utilizes historical brass instruments in repertoire from the Baroque, Classical and Romantic periods. This contributes to the ensemble’s authentic sound and historically-oriented performances.
