An all-Mozart program on a Friday night in the Canberra winter is a spirited and welcome gift from the Australian Haydn Ensemble, playing again with Erin Helyard on a visually stunning fortepiano by Paul McNulty, based on the Stein instrument that Mozart owned.

Like many teenagers, Mozart carped endlessly about his hometown Salzburg, but even after escaping to larger playgrounds in Linz and Vienna, he still visited. The first work in the program is his String Quintet in B-flat Major K174 finished when he was 17. He clearly didn’t intend it as background music and used it to experiment with the luxury mellow tone and texture that a second viola provides.

AHE with Erin Helyard: Mozart’s Salzburg & Linz. Photo © Oliver Miller

Acoustically speaking, Gandel Hall is well-suited to the AHE in most of its manifestations, but on a chilly evening with the otherwise noisy air conditioning turned down, it takes a few bars for the quintet to warm up. Quickly, leader and Artistic Director Skye McIntosh sets the energetic pace and tight interaction with her players that is required.

With all instruments muted in the Adagio, gentler conversations are possible,...