Mozart - String Quintet in C Major, K. 515

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) String Quintet in C Major, K. 515 Composed in 1787 Performed by the Artis Quartett and Michael Schnitzler: Peter Schuhmayer (b. 1960), violin Johannes Meissl (b. 1961), violin Herbert Kefer (b. 1960), viola Othmar Müller (b. 1963), cello Michael Schnitzler, viola Recorded June 1990 at the Mozartsaal, Vienna 0:00 I. Allegro 12:57 II. Menuetto: Allegretto 18:33 III. Andante 26:48 IV. Allegro Mozart’s String Quintet in C Major, K. 515, is widely regarded as one of the composer’s greatest chamber music achievements. Written when Mozart was 31, the work is part of a "concentrated burst" of quintet-writing alongside its companion, the G Minor Quintet (K. 516), which was finished less than a month later. Unlike his earlier string quartets, these quintets were written for a "viola quintet" ensemble—consisting of two violins, two violas, and one cello—an instrumentation that reflects Mozart's personal preference for the viola and allows for a density of harmony and counterpoint that would be difficult to achieve in a standard quartet. The work is noted for its expansive, symphonic scale; its first movement, in particular, is frequently cited for having one of the longest sonata expositions of the 18th century. Mozart eventually published the quintets through Artaria in 1789, though they were not immediately embraced by the amateur market of the time, which found their technical demands challenging.