Details
St Mary-le-More Church
Market Place
Wallingford
Oxfordshire
OX10 0EG
England
Tickets
Prices: £20.00
Book Tickets
Programme
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Piano Quintet in E flat major K. 452
~ Interval ~
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Serenade no.10 for winds in B flat major 'Grand Partia', K.361/370a
Performers
Glynne Butt – Piano
Programme Note
Opportunities to hear live performances of Mozart’s Gran Partita, also known as the Serenade for thirteen wind instruments (actually twelve winds and one double bass), are few and far between, so we are delighted that Pavlova Winds, a locally-based ensemble which draws in professional players from around the country, are performing it for us. Together with Abingdon pianist Glynne Butt, they complete this all-Mozart evening with a performance of the Quintet for Piano and Wind of 1784, a piece of which the composer was particularly proud. After the Quintet’s first performance he reported to his father that the work had received a very favourable reception and that “I, myself consider it to be the best thing I have written in my life”. Some recommendation!
The Serenade of 1781 needs little introduction. Its seven movements achieve a perfect balance between line and colour, the composer marshalling his potentially unwieldy forces with ease in music unfailingly melodic, with individual wind instruments emerging from the texture in the manner of operatic soloists. The Adagio plays a pivotal role in both film and stage versions of Amadeus. On hearing the music, Salieri realises that Mozart is uniquely gifted by God, completely eclipsing his own hard-won efforts.
