Mysliveček, Mozart at Sparkasse

The Classical period, to which the both compositions belong, introduced new forms, new kinds of compositions, and new instruments to the world of music. The clarinet was essentially an entirely new instrument in the Classical period. Some single-reed instruments had previously existed during the Baroque, but the clarinet first appeared (in several variations) in the second half of the 18th century. Josef Mysliveček and especially Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart took a great liking toward the clarinet and its specific “nasal” sound, which contrasted with other wind instruments. They and their contemporaries combined woodwinds and the French horn, which acted as a soft addition to their sound, into various ensembles. Typical examples include the wind quintet (flute-clarinet-oboe-French horn-bassoon), the wind octet (two times four of the quintet’s instruments, minus the flute), and the so-called Harmonie (an even larger ensemble determined by the composer).