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Also this issue: Rebirth of Butterfly Where House? One night the rain began to fall and it would not stop. The Downbeat 5 Jonathan Richman Glass Candy Gold Chains Dynamo Productions |
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June 26-July 2, 2003
music
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The Orchestra unleashes a season-ending windstorm.
The truism that Mozart was, above all else, a composer for the theater rings especially true for the musicians who bring his work to life. The Philadelphia Orchestra’s last glorious gasp of the season, "Absolutely Mozart," arrays an assortment of works, in various sizes and genres, that reinforces the sense that Mozart’s music can ultimately be broken down to series of magnificent conversations. The new principal clarinetist, Ricardo Morales, who vacated his seat as the principal of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra prior to coming here, has an intrinsic understanding of this view, based on both his work in the opera pit and on the special quality of Mozart’s writing for wind instruments.
"Mozart was really in love with the sound of the clarinet," says Morales. "It has a color that is close to the human voice. This was a special thing for him, and he really spoke through the instrument. Whenever he wrote for the clarinet in his operas, it was in scenes of pure love."
Mozart's music conveys a sense of the flavor of wind instruments as fully as almost any other composer, with Stravinsky and Strauss, both avowed Mozart worshipers, following closely behind. As the Orchestra's principal bassoonist, Daniel Matsukawa puts it, "He understood and used the real character of the instruments." For the bassoon, this can be a comical role, as a basso in a opera buffo, but Matsukawa also relishes the grand lyrical lines in so much of Mozart's writing. "There is always a lot of dialogue going on, in an operatic way. In almost every piano concerto, for example, there is some special wind section, especially in the slow movements."
As will be heard, since "Absolutely Mozart" will include a piano concerto in every one of the six concerts that will be performed next week, including Nos. 17, 20 and 25. Emanuel Ax, who is the guest artistic director for the series, will be the soloist. Peter Oundjian (pictured) will also conduct two symphonies, Nos. 35 and 40. There will also be vocal music, including opera arias and a selection of rarely heard songs, all sung by soprano Christine Brandes.
Two works will round out the chamber music portion of the programs, including a piano quartet, scored for keyboard and strings, and the exquisite quintet for piano and winds, one of the composer's proudest achievements. Matsukawa points out that this piece showcases Mozart's supreme mastery of instrumental color blending. "When it is just a string ensemble, you hear the differences within a family of instruments. With a wind ensemble, it is more like a visit to the zoo."
The Philadelphia Orchestra, "Absolutely Mozart 2003" takes place June 26-28; July 1, 2, 8 p.m. and June 29, 2 p.m., $25-$110, Kimmel Center, 260 S. Broad St., 215-893-1999.
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