Divertimenti K. 136-138 (Salzburg Divertimenti)

Already in his early youth, Mozart made his first forays into the genre of the string quartet, the supreme discipline in chamber music. The three three-movement works K. 136–138, which he designated “Divertimento”, are dated “Salisburgo 1772” in the autograph, but were presumably conceived earlier while on a concert tour under the Italian sun. They do not yet display the “erudite” four-partwriting that Joseph Haydn was perfecting at the same time, but instead strike a cheerful, playful serenade tone with mostly song-like upper voice and accompanying lower voices.

The fact that Mozart designated the lowest voice not as “Violoncello” but as “Basso” and also used the plural “Viole” for the viola part suggests that he certainly had in mind more than one instrument on a part here. In this form for small string orchestra, the three so-called “Salzburg Divertimenti” are still perennial evergreens today. Edited by Mozart expert Wolf-Dieter Seiffert, this practice-oriented chamber orchestra edition offers a verified musical text on the basis of the autograph sources. – An edition for string quartet is also available.