Mozart Classical Orchestra: Season Finale

Ami Porat, Artistic Director and Conductor

MOZART: Divertimento in F, K. 138
VIVALDI: Double Concerto in g   
   Maksim Velichkin, violoncello
CASADESUS: Concerto for Violoncello   
    Evgeny Tonkha, violoncello
HAYDN: Symphony No. 64

W. A. Mozart (1756 – 1791) – Divertimento in F, K. 138
This work belongs to a group of three divertimenti written in 1772, in Mozart’s sixteenth year. Most notable is the prominent and beautiful writing of the two upper parts and the subtlety of their interplay. The shapely Andante, with its long-winded sensuous melodies underlined contrary with sublime inner part textures is framed by the distinctly symphonic opening Allegro and the quick-witted and colorful closing Rondo.

VIVALDI (1678 – 1741) Double Concerto in g  
The Concerto for two solo violoncelli, with strings and basso continuo, RV 531, is the only one for such a pair of instruments, the sonorities of which it exploits to excellent effect, an example of the mastery that shows itself consistently in this master’s entire output.

CASADESUS (1899 – 1972) Concerto for Violoncello   
Although not likely to be the work of the “London” Bach as advertised, this charming work does possess great emotional depth in its sustained slow movement, power in the opening Allegro and mastery of motion in the finale. ”Premiered” by Henri Casadesus in 1916, who is the work’s most likely creator, we are left to wonder why  he did not take compositional credits or offer authentic musicological sources for this fine work.

F. J. Haydn (1732 – 1809) Symphony No. 64
This symphony earns its nickname, “Tempora Mutantur” (times are changing), in the slow movement. Musicologist Elaine Sisman makes a compelling argument that both the Latin nickname and the second movement refer to the play Hamlet, particularly its famous line, “The time is out of joint….” The startling starts and stops of the Largo attest to an arrhythmic sense of time and meter. Phrases begin and trail off, unfinished. Time is indeed out of joint. 

Program notes by Ami Porat.