Serenade N°9 KV 320 "Posthorn" / "Cor De Postillon" / "Post-Horn" / Serenade N°6 KV 239 Serenata Notturna

Released in 1980 on the French Erato label, this recording features the Orchestre de Chambre Jean-François Paillard performing two of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s notable serenades. Serenade No. 9 in D major, K. 320, nicknamed the Posthorn, was composed in Salzburg in 1779 and is named for the distinctive post-horn solo featured in the second trio of its sixth movement. Serenade No. 6, the Serenata Notturna, dates back to 1776 and is characterized by its unusual scoring for two small orchestras, which provides a playful dialogue between the strings.

Jean-François Paillard founded his eponymous chamber orchestra in 1953, becoming a pivotal figure in the 20th-century revival of Baroque and early Classical music performance. His approach with the Erato label emphasized clarity, balance, and a refined sense of French musical elegance. This specific release, catalog number STU 71289, reflects the label's commitment to high-fidelity audio engineering during a period when the ensemble was widely respected for bringing a sophisticated, polished aesthetic to the standard Mozart repertoire.

The reception of Paillard’s Mozart recordings has consistently centered on his orchestra's technical precision and rhythmic buoyancy. While the musicological consensus on Mozart performance has evolved toward period-instrument practice in the decades since this recording was mastered, the Paillard-Erato collaborations remain valued for their warmth and the technical discipline that defined his ensemble’s legacy throughout the late twentieth century.