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PROGRAMNOTESbyStevenLowe
WOLFGANGAMADEUSMOZART
SymphonyNo.40inGminor,K.550[revisedversion]
BORN:January27,1756,inSalzburg
DIED:December5,1791,inVienna
WORKCOMPOSED:1788
SymphonyNo.40,K.550isoneofonlytwo(ofatotalof41)suchworksMozartcastinaminor
key.(TheotheristhetempestuousandmuchearlierSymphonyNo.25,alsoinGminor,an
energeticSturmundDrangstatementfromthecomposer’sadolescence).Ifevergraceandgrief
werebeautifullypoisedit’sinthemasterlySymphonyNo.40,oneofthreehecomposedin1788
(theotherswereNo.39inE-flat,K.539andNo.41inC,K.551,Jupiter)andprobablynever
performedduringhislifetime.
Ashroudofmysterystillhangsoverthecompositionofthistrioofmasterworks.Mozartmay
havecomposedthemforaprojectedvisittoEnglandbeingarrangedbyhisfriend,theLondonbasedoperaticcomposerStephenStorace(1762–1796).Theenthusiasticreceptionaccorded
HaydnbytheBritishconcert-goingpublicwouldhavedisposedMozarttoconsiderajourney
acrossthechannel,especiallybecauseofhisprecariousfinancialcircumstancesin1788.
ItwasnottypicalforClassicalperiodcomposerstowritesymphoniesinminorkeysexceptfora
briefperiodinthelate1760s/early1770swhenGoethe’sSorrowsofYoungWertherspawned
thepre-romanticSturmundDrangmovementfirstinliteratureandthentheotherarts.
Mozart’slifein1788wasfraughtwithstress.ViennesepatronagehadwitheredaftertheantiaristocraticimplicationsofTheMarriageofFigaroin1786,basedonBeaumarchais,scaredoff
Mozart’sfinancialbackerswhofeared(correctly!)theendtheirpowerasthemesofdemocracy
spreadthroughoutEurope.Onapersonallevel,tragedyhadstruckwiththedeathofadaughter
andthecontinuedillhealthofhiswife,Constanze(who,ironically,outlivedherhusbandby
threedecades).Itisdangerous,ofcourse,toautomaticallyexplainemotionallyexpressiveworks
intermsofimmediatebiography,butitislikelythatthedark,angst-drivenbeautyofK.550
drewsomeofitspowerandcharactertoeventsthatworkedonMozart’sstateofmindinthe
summerof1788.
Afterabrief,nervousorchestralsighintheshapeofaquietarpeggiofigureintheviolas,the
agitatedmainthemeassertsitselfintheviolins.Aforcefulsubsidiarythemeisthenheard,
followedbyamorewistfulthemeintherelativemajorofB-flat(samekeysignatureasGminor,
i.e.,twoflats).Duringtheenergeticdevelopmentsection,itisthemainthemethatprevails.
ThehauntingAndantebearsasuperficialresemblancetolight-heartedRococomusic,withits
profusionoftrills,yetthemoodisineffablysadandtingedwithanxietythatrisesfrom
understatementtobitingacidity.
ThoughthethirdmovementismarkedMenuetto,thisisnodance-likeevocationofcourtly
grace.Themainthemecrossesbarlines,impartingadarkandunsettledqualitytotherhythm;
eventhecomparativelygentleTriodoesnotundotheoveralltenorofthemusic.
Thefinale,catapultedforwardbyaleaping“rockettheme,”doesnotfulfillClassicalperiod
expectationbyendinginthemajor.Mozartresolutelystickstothedramatic,disturbingminor
tonalityingreatcontrasttohistacticsinanothergreatworkinGminor,hisStringQuintet,K.
516,whichconcludesunconvincinglyinthemajor,asifthecomposerwerewhistlinginthedark.
Inthisgreatsymphony,hedropsthepretenseofahappyendingaltogether.Whatisespecially
wonderfulaboutK.550isthatdespitethedarkmood,thereisnothingremotelymaudlinabout
thissuperblycrafted,unfailinglybeautifulsymphony.
Tonight’sperformanceusestherevisedversionofthissymphony,addingapairofclarinetsto
theorchestra.AsHaydnnotedofthestill-evolvinginstrument:“ItwasMozartwhotaughtusall
howtowritefortheclarinet.”
Scoredforflute,2oboes,2clarinets,2bassoons,2hornsandstrings.
©2016StevenLowe