Mozart: Complete Flute Quartets A Nocte Temporis & Anna Besson

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791): Flute Quartet in C major, K. Anh.171/285b:
• 1 Mozart: Flute Quartet in C major, K. Anh.171/285b: I. Allegro 05:48
• 2 Mozart: Flute Quartet in C major, K. Anh.171/285b: II. Tema con variazioni 10:15
• Flute Quartet in G Major, K. 285a:
• 3 Mozart: Flute Quartet in G Major, K. 285a: I. Andante 05:48
• 4 Mozart: Flute Quartet in G Major, K. 285a: II. Tempo di menuetto 03:33
• Flute Quartet in D Major, K. 285:
• 5 Mozart: Flute Quartet in D Major, K. 285: I. Allegro 07:01
• 6 Mozart: Flute Quartet in D Major, K. 285: II. Adagio 02:45
• 7 Mozart: Flute Quartet in D Major, K. 285: III. Rondeau 04:34
• Flute Quartet in A Major, K. 298:
• 8 Mozart: Flute Quartet in A Major, K. 298: I. Tema con variazioni 06:25
• 9 Mozart: Flute Quartet in A Major, K. 298: II. Menuetto - Trio 02:08
• 10 Mozart: Flute Quartet in A Major, K. 298: III. Rondeau 03:15
• Piano Sonata No. 8 in D Major, K. 311/284c (Arr. for Flute, Violin, Viola and Cello by Franz Anton Hoffmeister):
• 11 Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 8 in D Major, K. 311/284c (Arr. for Flute, Violin, Viola and Cello by Franz Anton Hoffmeister): I. Allegro con spirito 05:02
• 12 Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 8 in D Major, K. 311/284c (Arr. for Flute, Violin, Viola and Cello by Franz Anton Hoffmeister): II. Andante con expressione 05:14
• 13 Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 8 in D Major, K. 311/284c (Arr. for Flute, Violin, Viola and Cello by Franz Anton Hoffmeister): III. Rondo 07:09
• Total Runtime 01:08:57

Info zu Mozart: Complete Flute Quartets

Während seines Aufenthalts in Mannheim zwischen Oktober 1777 und März 1778 erhielt Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Aufträge für zwei Flötenquartette (KV 285 und KV 285a), ein damals äußerst beliebtes Instrument — vermutlich auch deshalb, weil Kurfürst Karl Theodor in der pfälzischen Residenzstadt als Amateur Flöte spielte. Eine graphologische Untersuchung legt nahe, dass das Quartett KV 285b wahrscheinlich erst 1786/87 in Wien entstand … Diese Werke haben für Anna Besson einen ganz besonderen Stellenwert, denn die Flötistin spielte sie bereits während einer ihrer allerersten Konzerttourneen im Alter von fünfzehn Jahren … Besonders am Herzen lag ihr zudem Franz Anton Hoffmeisters Bearbeitung der Sonate KV 311 — „wegen der Schönheit ihres Mittelsatzes und der außerordentlichen Feinheit, mit der der Verleger, ein enger Freund Mozarts, den Klaviersatz auf Flöte und Streicher übertrug und mit großer Eleganz neu verteilte.“

A nocte temporis

a nocte temporis
is a baroque ensemble that, in just ten years, has grown from an intimate chamber group into a full orchestra, where the human voice and instrumental sound engage in a vivid dialogue to explore the richness of the baroque repertoire.

The Latin phrase ‘a nocte temporis’ (‘From time immemorial…’) sums up the essence of this ensemble, jointly founded in 2016 by Reinoud Van Mechelen (for many years a soloist with leading conductors such as William Christie, Philippe Herreweghe, Simon Rattle and René Jacobs) and virtuoso flautist Anna Besson. Their aim was to fully express their art, as well as the vision they hold in common, of performing music with an informed historical approach.

Fired by their passion for early music, Anna and Reinoud share the objective of discovering and presenting unknown jewels of the French and European musical Baroque that focus on the dialogue between voice and flute.

Over the years since its formation, the ensemble has been invited to appear in the major concert halls and festivals of France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, Italy, Lithuania, Austria, and as far as China and Canada.

A nocte temporis are proud of their ongoing collaboration with the prestigious Alpha Classics label (distributed by Outhere Music) since their first recording. Their releases have received a host of awards, notably a CHOC of the Year from Classica, the Grand Prix International Charles Cros, four diamonds from Opéra Magazine, the Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik, the Prix Caecilia for Best Recording, and Best Classical Music Album 2022 from Gramophone.

The ensemble began by performing chamber music works and continues to explore this repertoire with handpicked soloists. Since 2018 a nocte temporis has also been developing and presenting several programmes for soloists and orchestra, with Reinoud singing and conducting the ensemble.

As a vocal soloist he has featured in projects such as the ensemble’s trilogy centred around the high tenor ‘haute-contre’ voice: Dumesny, haute-contre de Lully (2018), Jéliote, haute-contre de Rameau (2020) and Legros, haute-contre de Gluck (2023). The ensemble’s orchestra has also regularly collaborated with renowned choirs, for example with Vox Luminis in Orphée aux enfers by Charpentier (Alpha Classics, 2020), and with the Chœur de chambre de Namur in Charpentier’s Te Deum, in Campra’s Requiem (both in 2022), and Céphale et Procris by Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre (Château de Versailles Spectacles, 2024). Their recordings of Mozart Concert Arias (Alpha Classics, 2025), The Complete Flute Concertos of Mozart (Alpha Classics, 2025) and the operas Pygmalion and Zémide have all received a Diapason d’or. Their most recent release, Salomon’s opera Médée et Jason (Château de Versailles Spectacles, 2026) was awarded a Diapason Découverte. Since 2023, a nocte has been staging its production of Bach’s St John Passion with Reinoud conducting as well as singing the role of the Evangelist.

a nocte temporis is generously supported by Aline Foriel-Destezet, the City of Leuven, and the Flemish Community.

Reinoud Van Mechelen
began singing as a child in the choirs Clari Cantuli and Clari Cantus. In 2007, at the age of twenty, he took part in the Académie Baroque Européenne d’Ambronay under the direction of Hervé Niquet. A few years later, in 2011, he was selected for Le Jardin des Voix of William Christie and Paul Agnew, after which he quickly became a regular soloist with Les Arts Florissants. In 2012, he graduated from the Royal Conservatory of Brussels (class of Dina Grossberger), and in 2017 he received the prestigious Caecilia Prize for “Young Musician of the Year”, awarded by the Union of the Belgian Music Press. Van Mechelen is frequently invited as a soloist by leading baroque ensembles such as Collegium Vocale Gent, Le Concert Spirituel, Le Concert d’Astrée, Les Talens Lyriques, Le Poème Harmonique and B’Rock.

Reinoud Van Mechelen has sung numerous leading roles in prestigious opera houses such as the Opéra de Paris (Mercure, Jason, Castor), Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin (Hippolyte, Jason), Opéra Comique (Hippolyte, Titon), La Monnaie (Tamino), Théâtre des Champs‑Élysées, Opera Ballet Vlaanderen (Ferrando, Pylade, Don Ottavio), Opéra de Toulon (Nadir), Opéra de Bordeaux (Dardanus), Opernhaus Zürich (Jason), Opéra de Genève (Castor), and many more. In October 2026, he performs the title role in Salieri’s Tarare at the Opéra Royal de Versailles. In June 2027, he will take on the title role in Mozart’s Idomeneo at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin under the direction of Simon Rattle.

Van Mechelen is also highly active on the concert stage. He has sung the role of Evangelist with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Les Arts Florissants under William Christie, Collegium Vocale Gent under Philippe Herreweghe, and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic under Paul Agnew. In March 2027, he will perform the Evangelist in the St Matthew Passion on a European tour with the Freiburger Barockorchester conducted by Simon Rattle. He will then take on both the Evangelist part and the musical direction in the St John Passion on a European tour with his own ensemble a nocte temporis and the Chœur de Chambre de Namur.

Firmly rooted in the baroque repertoire, Van Mechelen is now developing - both as a soloist and with his ensemble - an increasingly strong presence in the classical and romantic repertoire.

Anna Besson
A laureate of the Cziffra Foundation and a graduate of both the CNSMD in Paris and the HEM in Geneva, Anna Besson is a renowned artist celebrated for her mastery of both modern and historical flutes, as well as her ability to interpret repertoire with stylistic and technical authenticity—from the late 17th century to contemporary creations. Regularly invited to perform at the Opéra de Paris and in chamber music settings, she also pursues a flourishing career as a Baroque flutist, performing as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player with prestigious ensembles such as Le Concert Spirituel, Les Arts Florissants, Insula Orchestra, Le Concert d’Astrée, La Chambre Philharmonique, and as a member of the quartet Nevermind.

As a founding member of the ensemble a nocte temporis (dir. Reinoud Van Mechelen), she seeks to transcend the repertoire for tenor and flute from the 18th and 19th centuries. Within the ensemble, she also plays a key role in shaping and guiding its chamber music projects, where her artistic vision and expertise are central.

Her discography as a soloist and chamber musician includes Mozart’s Flute Concertos (Alpha Classics, 2025, Diapason d’Or de l’année), a Corelli–Quentin recital (Alpha Classics, 2024), Telemann’s Paris Quartets with Nevermind (2017), Erbarme dich (2016) and The Dubhlinn Gardens (2018) with a nocte temporis, and a romantic flute recital with Olga Pashchenko featuring works by Beethoven, Kuhlau, and Doppler (2020), also on Alpha Classics.

Anna is professor of traverso at both the Royal Conservatory of Brussels and the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, and is regularly invited to give masterclasses and recitals in France and abroad.

Booklet für Mozart: Complete Flute Quartets