Music for a Viennese Salon: Haydn, Kraus, Dittersdorf

It says much for a composer’s craftsmanship that even when a large-scale symphony is arranged for just flute and strings, its essence remains intact. Johann Peter Salomon’s reduction of Haydn’s “Surprise” Symphony , the last piece in a programme that re-creates an 1801 salon at Vienna’s Palais Arnstein, does just that: Its charm, invention and wit simply dance in this rendition by the six fine musicians of Philadelphia-based Night Music. Kraus’ delightful Quintet for Flute and Strings opens proceedings, and Dittersdorf’s Duetto for the unlikely pairing of viola and double bass makes a surprisingly melodious centrepiece for this inventive and lovingly performed album.