Issue #59
Last Update September 23, 2008
Arts Mozart at Tanglewood by David Katz August 5,2007 It is not often that one gets to hear a great composer's works played in chronological order, as was done with Mozart's Symphonies 39, 40 and 41 on July 21 at Tanglewood. In the glorious setting of the Boston Symphony's summer home, these three pieces, all composed during the same summer of 1788, nevertheless have a sense of musical development, as if Mozart in his own mind were slowly leaving the gemutlich, danceable music of his home town and entering a more complex, more musically formal period.
The three symphonies have an identical structure, but the instruments used and the musical expression give each of the three a unique feel. Number 39 makes emotionally effective use of the sonority of the clarinet, a relatively new instrument in Mozart's time, but one which he favored for its sweetness and liquid tone. The BSO clarinetists gave a good demonstration of the richness of tone and agility of movement of this instrument.
Numbers 40 and 41 (Jupiter) are more similar to each other than they are to Number 39. In Number 40, the heard-edged oboe sound replaces the mellow clarinets and the music is more abstract and less "danceable". There is more wandering out of the home key, which occasionally gives a very modern feel to these symphonies. The leap in style between Symphony 39 and Symphony 40 is not repeated between 40 and 42, but considering that all of these works were composed within weeks of each other makes any real progression surprising.
Mozart is one of those rare composers whose music is as much of a joy to play as to listen to. He shares his melodic inventiveness with all of the sections of the orchestra; with an orchestra of the quality of the BSO, this means that all of its excellent musicians have a chance to be the focus of our attention, and we are enriched by hearing them.
These symphonies may have been composed for a concert that never happened. We are fortunate that these examples of Mozart's genius, dashed off so quickly, have survived to delight and amaze us.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
To be notified of New York Stringer updates and new issues, click here.
New York Stringer is published by NYStringer.com. For all communications, contact David Katz, Editor and Publisher, at david@nystringer.com
All content copyright 2008 by nystringer.com