Divertimento Nr. 17 D-Dur KV 334 / Divertimento D-Dur KV 136

This recording features the Wiener Oktett, an ensemble drawn from the ranks of the Vienna Philharmonic, performing two of Mozart’s notable divertimenti. Divertimento No. 17 in D major, KV 334, was composed in 1779 for the Lodron family of Salzburg, serving as sophisticated social music for outdoor or celebratory settings. The work is celebrated for its elegance and the prominent, virtuosic writing for the first horn and first violin, reflecting Mozart’s mastery of the serenade genre during his Salzburg years.

The Decca label, particularly during the mid-twentieth century, became renowned for its high-fidelity recordings of chamber music and orchestral works, often utilizing the expertise of members of the Vienna Philharmonic. This specific pressing, catalog number BLK 21034, captures the ensemble’s approach to the repertoire, which emphasizes the warm, precise tonal quality associated with the Viennese tradition. At the time of this recording, these works were central to the canon of classical chamber repertoire, and the Decca technical team focused on achieving a clarity that allowed the individual voices of the strings and horns to remain distinct within the ensemble’s overall balance.