“

Mantas conducts with a light hand giving the music a nice rhythmic springiness throughout. The EU Chamber Orchestra Wind Octet plays with energy as well as a clean line with bright sonorities. All in all, a very fine disc.

” —Lynn Rene Bayley

“

This recording is actually the premiere full version of the K.375 Serenade, as Santiago Mantas restored the trio in the second Menuet, writen by Mozart but omitted from the published score, and corrected errors that appeared in the published score. The octet of wind instruments of the European Union Chamber Orchestra, directed by Mantas, are very convincing, with instruments that really sing in Mozart’s magic writing. The artistic excellence of the CD is further enhanced by the sound engineering by Tony Faulkner, who has given the sound of the wind instruments, both dynamically and tonally, a more than adequate and high standard recording.

” —Andrea Bedetti

“

New release from the highly skilled Octet of the European Union Chamber Orchestra, who deliver a delightful reading. Mantas nicely balances the general optimism of the “Gran Partita” with its excursions into stateliness, melancholy, wistfulness, and self-reflective seriousness… this reading sustains its interest over the long span, which is what the music needs. Faithful, vivid sound. On every count this is one of my preferred CDs of two lovable masterpieces.

” —Huntley Dent

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[A] most elegant performance of two of Mozart’s wind serenades. This CD is the first recording in which we are able to hear the original version; this performance therefore constitutes an important contribution to Mozartian studies. The recording is extremely balanced and clear; the interpretation by Santiago Mantas is graceful and well-informed. This is a thoroughly enjoyable recording, of the highest calibre.

” —Elizabeth Rees

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This performance of the serenades on modern instruments is mellifluous and blend­ed. A fine performance of the B-flat Serenade.

” —Todd Gorman

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The work [Gran Partita] presents a mammoth design for chamber wind instruments, it provides a masterful display piece for any philharmonic’s principal players. Since answers to the questions of eingangen (little cadenzas), double-dotting, ornamentation, grace notes, tempos, and more can only be guessed at each conductor makes his own choices, and I must admit I find those by Mantas compelling. Conductor Mantas can rightly boast that his version of the E-flat Serenade, K. 375 (1781) gives us the premiere of its complete score as Mozart intended. The resultant performance gives us a model of Mozart’s large-serenade style. a model job by all principals. Lovely sound reproduction, courtesy of veteran Recording Engineer Tony Faulkner

” —Gary Lemco

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Thoroughly pleasurable from the first minute to the last. The present recording has indeed restored the ‘second trio’ [of K.375] and has also excised the faulty bar. The European Union Chamber Orchestra and their conductor Santiago Mantas for this enterprise, give an excellent performance of these two works. There is excitement, occasional melancholy and almost constant delight and enjoyment… the above noted corrections to the score make this a valuable version to possess.

” —John France