Septett
Charis-Ensemble
- Format
- Digital
Was it a deliberate move when Conradin Kreutzer and Friedrich Witt composed their septets in the wake of the much more famous Beethoven? But these two pieces are no less impressive than the work of their famous colleague: Both manage to entertain in a witty way, as the lively recording with the famous Charis Ensemble demonstrates, now reissued after a long absence in MDG's "Preziosa" series.
The charm of both works captivates the listener immediately. Themes and motifs quickly stick in the memory, as if they were jotted down with a light hand, and the excellent instrumentation of the Charis Ensemble manages to present even the virtuosic passages with the necessary nobility.
E. T. A. Hoffmann recognized Witt's talent early on: he knew how to fill his compositions "not so much with depth as with the highest possible degree of charm" and thus wrote for a broad audience. Beethoven made similar remarks about his own septet.
Discovering the value of the unknown has always been a specialty of MDG. The "Preziosa" series presents selected treasures from almost half a century of label history, lovingly compiled and enriched with stories about the making of the recordings. Enjoy!
