Mozart Classical Orchestra: Strings Attached

Ami Porat, Artistic Director and Conductor

BENDA: Sinfonia in C
ROSSINI: String Sonata No. 3   
PIAZZOLLA/PORAT: Adios Nonino, Libertango
MOZART: Sonata for Strings, K. 421

F. Benda (1709-1786) Sinfonia in C
Frantisek Benda is but one member of an entire dynasty of Czech composers. The work on tonight’s program is in the Italian opera overture form, leading towards the more advanced structure of the symphony. The fleeting grace of the closing Vivace anticipates the fast closing movements of later symphonic writing, and is a fine example of a lively and humorous scherzando.

G. Rossini  (1792 – 1868) String Sonata in C
Rossini’s Six Sonatas for Strings were rediscovered in their original orchestration for two violins, cello and contrabass, in the Library of Congress in Washington in the late forties. Rossini’s unique musical voice is “loud & clear” despite the year of composition being 1804 when he was only twelve.

A. Piazzolla (1921 – 1992) Adios Nonino
Incorporating elements of jazz, folk and classical idioms, Piazzolla, a virtuoso on the bandeon, based Adios on the milonga, an early, slower version of the tango. The touching melody exudes humility, gratitude and love for his late father whom he called Nonino. 

Libertango
“I showed her my symphonies and sonatas,” writes Piazzolla in his memoir. “She responded by saying, ‘They are very well written; I see in them Stravinsky, Bartok and Ravel; but I can’t find Piazzolla in this.’ I was ashamed to tell her I was a tango musician playing a bandoneon in a nightclub for fear she would throw me from the fourth floor. Finally I played her some bars from my own tango to which she exclaimed, ‘You idiot! That’s Piazzolla! You must never abandon this.’ She had taken all the music I had written over the past ten years and sent it to hell in two seconds.” Libertango was published in 1974. 

W. A. Mozart (1756 – 1791) Sonata for Strings, K. 421
The K. 421 was originally written as one of six string quartets dedicated to Haydn. This work was orchestrated for string orchestra by Ami Porat especially for this concert.

Program notes by Ami Porat