The Basset instruments of the late 18th century, whether called clarinets or horns, were particularly delicious in tone, giving not only extra notes to the clarinet range but a rich and mellow tone that modern generations do not quite match…
These days it has become quite unusual to hear Mozart’s small orchestra works played by a Philharmonic band rather than a specialist chamber or period orchestra. Big name conductors tend to shy away from them too, perhaps conscious of the potential damage to their reputations if they appear heavy-handed. So for the LPO and Jurowski to release these recordings now is a very much more courageous move than it would have been fifty years ago…