Mostly Mozart and More at Lincoln Center | 2018-08-23 10:11:41 (Visits: 382 Times) |  | | 1,Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra. (Richard Termine)
2,Pianist Emanuel Ax appeared at the opening concert of the Mostly Mozart Festival. (Lisa Marie Mazzucco)
By Barry Bassis
3,Louis Langrée has been Music Director of the Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center in New York since 2002 and of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra since 2013. (Richard Termine)
Updated: August 1, 2018
NEW YORK—It’s hard to imagine how Mozart could fit into a concert with the theme “Americans in Paris,” but the opening concert of the Mostly Mozart Festival managed to do that.
The festival began with one of the most celebrated pieces by the late conductor, composer, and educator Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990): the sparkling overture to “Candide” (1956).
Although the musical adaptation of French author Voltaire’s 1759 satirical novel was commercially unsuccessful, its overture along with the soprano takeoff on coloratura arias, “Glitter and Be Gay,” and the love duet, “Oh, Happy We” (which are both quoted in the overture) have endured as popular works in concert.
The Overture is a high energy piece and Louis Langrée and the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra launched into it with gusto. It was an exciting way to start the concert.Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 17 in G Major, K. 453 (1784) was performed by the orchestra with the distinguished pianist Emanuel Ax as soloist. The concerto was likely first performed in public by one of Mozart’s pupils, Barbara von Ployer. He also wrote the Piano Concerto No. 14, K. 449, in E-flat Major for her.
The Concerto No. 17 is comprised of three movements: an opening Allegro and then Andante and ending with the Allegretto. The last movement is famous in part because Mozart taught the melody to his pet starling, a very musical bird. The music has been compared to that sung by Papageno (the bird man) in the opera “The Magic Flute.”
Ax played with great sensitivity, as one would expect from a pianist known for his affinity to the music of Mozart.
The second half of the concert opened with an unusual piece: Adagio and Rondo in C Minor for glass harmonica, flute, oboe, viola, and cello, K.617 (1791). Often the piece is performed with piano soloists but Mostly Mozart presented the original version.Interestingly, the American in Paris theme is supported by the fact that Benjamin Franklin, among his innumerable other achievements, developed a version of the glass harmonica and played it. Franklin was the American ambassador to France from 1776 until 1785. While serving in that post, he lived in the Parisian suburb of Passy.
The work was performed at the concert by Friedrich Heinrich Kern and Philipp Marguerre, both on glass harmonica, Jasmine Choi on flute, Max Blair on oboe, Shmuel Katz on viola, and Ilya Finkelshteyn on cello.
A glass harmonica looks nothing like a harmonica that a musician puts in his mouth. Rather this looks like a vibraphone except the player doesn’t use mallets. The musicians move their hands over the top. The breathy sound is similar to what you hear when you move your hand over the rims of glasses filled with different amounts of water.
The music itself is recognizably that of the supreme melodist Mozart.
The concert ended with George Gershwin’s “An American in Paris” (1928). Sadly, the composer, like Mozart, died in his 30s. The native New Yorker wrote songs for Broadway musicals and Hollywood films. He started writing classical pieces in his 20s: first, Rhapsody in Blue (1924) and then Concerto in F (1925).
“An American in Paris” was inspired by Gershwin’s trip to the city and the work includes the sounds of the taxi horns. He actually wrote most of it when he returned to his New York apartment. Thus, along with the French sound, there is an American blues influence.
The Mostly Mozart Orchestra played a new edition of the piece by Mark Clague. He incorporated different kinds of saxophones and tinkered with the pitch of the taxi horns to bring them closer to what he believes Gershwin intended.
The concert was an audience pleaser, with only light and lyrical works.
The Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center continues until Aug. 12.
Another Festival to keep in mind is Lincoln Center Out of Doors. These concerts present great artists and are free. On Saturday, Aug 11th at 7:30 pm, music icon Mavis Staples and singer-songwriter Joe Henry will perform.
On August 10th at Damrosch Park, Bobby Sanabria and his Multiverse Big Band will perform a unique tribute to Leonard Bernstein on his 100th birthday: a Latin jazz version of songs from the composer’s most successful work, West Side Story. Sanabria’s recently released double album, “West Side Story Reimagined” (on Jazzheads) incorporates the infectious rhythms of jazz, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican and Brazilian music, and is a triumph. Three days earlier, on August 7th at Film Society’s Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center’s Amphitheater (144 West 65th Street), educator, drummer, composer, and arranger Sanabria will discuss the reimagining of West Side Story with Jamie Bernstein (the composer’s daughter, who is also a writer and broadcaster).
Barry Bassis has been a music, theater, and travel writer for over a decade for various publications.
Share this article
????
RECOMMENDED
FEATURED VIDEOS
US Embassy Cuts Hobble Influence in Cuba
US Embassy Cuts Hobble Influence in Cuba
14hr By Reuters
Wife of Posthumous Medal of Honor Recipient John Chapman Speaks Out
Wife of Posthumous Medal of Honor Recipient John Chapman Speaks Out
18hr By Jack Phillips
Trump, Coal Miners Celebrate Resurgence in West Virginia
Trump, Coal Miners Celebrate Resurgence in West Virginia
18hr By Charlotte Cuthbertson
Politics
August 20, 2018
Papadopoulos’ Lawyers to Ask for No Prison Time, Citing ‘Mistakes of Judgment’
Papadopoulos’ Lawyers to Ask for No Prison Time, Citing ‘Mistakes of Judgment’
By Ivan Pentchoukov
The lawyers for former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos plan to tell the judge in his case that their client shouldn't serve any time in prison. Papadopoulos ...
???
Companies
August 15, 2018
Soros Fund Management Adds Popular Tech Names, BlackRock in Second Quarter
Soros Fund Management Adds Popular Tech Names, BlackRock in Second Quarter
By Reuters
NEW YORK—Soros Fund Management LLC added Facebook Inc, Apple Inc and Twitter Inc, but trimmed stakes in Alphabet Inc and Amazon.com Inc in the quarter through June, ...
???
Crime and Incidents
July 25, 2018
Gunman of George HW Bush’s Former Doctor Had ‘Fully-Loaded’ Backpack, New Footage Reveals
Gunman of George HW Bush’s Former Doctor Had ‘Fully-Loaded’ Backpack, New Footage Reveals
By Mimi Nguyen Ly, Epoch Times
The gunman who shot George H.W. Bush’s former doctor last week was wearing a “fully-loaded” backpack, as seen in a new surveillance footage released by Houston Police ...
???
China Business & Economy
August 23, 2018
Under Impact of U.S.-China Trade War, China’s 10th Largest Tire Company Goes Bankrupt
Under Impact of U.S.-China Trade War, China’s 10th Largest Tire Company Goes Bankrupt
By Sunny Chao, Epoch Times
Pressure from the U.S.-China trade war is building up. The tire giant and 10th largest tire company in China, Shandong Yongtai Group Co., declared bankruptcy earlier this ...
???
Entertainment
August 22, 2018
Crazy Rich Asians is Already Planning a Sequel
Crazy Rich Asians is Already Planning a Sequel
By Annie Wang
After an unexpected five-day opening reaching $34.7 million over the weekend, the movie "Crazy Rich Asians" has received praise from the public, and even some very high-profile fans. ...
???
China Business & Economy
August 22, 2018
China May Be Indicating Willingness to Negotiate as US Trade Talks Resume
China May Be Indicating Willingness to Negotiate as US Trade Talks Resume
By Annie Wu, Epoch Times
While U.S. President Donald Trump expressed that he doesn't “anticipate much” from resumed trade talks taking place between U.S. and Chinese officials on Aug. 22 and 23, ...
???
UK
August 23, 2018
British-Iranian Woman Temporarily Released From Iran Jail
British-Iranian Woman Temporarily Released From Iran Jail
By Reuters
LONDON—Detained British Iranian aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a project manager with the Thomson Reuters Foundation, has been released from jail in Iran for three days, her supporters ...
???
US News
August 23, 2018
Alligator Attacks Homeless Woman Swimming in Florida Lake
Alligator Attacks Homeless Woman Swimming in Florida Lake
By Jack Phillips
A homeless woman was reportedly attacked by an alligator at a Florida lake, said officials on Aug. 22. Felicitie Gillette, 24, was swimming in Lake Hernando in ...
???
SUBSCRIBE
NEWSLETTER
Epoch 10
Get The Epoch Times' top news and features delivered right to your inbox, Monday through Friday.
President Trump
Get The Epoch Times' coverage on President Donald Trump and his administration right to your inbox, Monday through Friday.
China In Context
Get the full picture of what's going on in China's society, economy, and political system, once a week.
MORE OPTION
TOP NEWS
Alligator Attacks Homeless Woman Swimming in Florida Lake
NEW By Jack Phillips
Alligator Attacks Homeless Woman Swimming in Florida Lake
Hawaii Braces For Hurricane Lane
2hr By The Associated Press
Hawaii Braces For Hurricane Lane
Knifeman Kills 'Relatives' in Paris Suburb Before Being Shot Dead
5hr By Jane Gray
Knifeman Kills 'Relatives' in Paris Suburb Before Being Shot Dead
Iran Threatens to Hit US, Israel After Trump Aide Warns of ‘Maximum Pressure’
14hr By Reuters
Iran Threatens to Hit US, Israel After Trump Aide Warns of ‘Maximum Pressure’
War Hero Who Died to Save Fellow Servicemen Awarded Medal of Honor
16hr By Holly Kellum
War Hero Who Died to Save Fellow Servicemen Awarded Medal of Honor
California State Candidates Bike for Office
17hr By Nathan Su
California State Candidates Bike for Office
Former East German Communists Training, Guiding Democratic Socialists of America
18hr By Trevor Loudon
Former East German Communists Training, Guiding Democratic Socialists of America
Trump, Coal Miners Celebrate Resurgence in West Virginia
18hr By Charlotte Cuthbertson
Trump, Coal Miners Celebrate Resurgence in West Virginia
FDA Expands Recall of Valsartan, Including Torrent Pharmaceuticals
20hr By Jack Phillips
FDA Expands Recall of Valsartan, Including Torrent Pharmaceuticals
Facebook Removes 652 Pages Tied to Iran-Based Influence Campaigns
21hr By Cathy Zhang
Facebook Removes 652 Pages Tied to Iran-Based Influence Campaigns
?
PRINT EDITION
Subscribe
?
EPOCH NEWSLETTERS
Subscribe
35 COUNTRIES, 23 LANGUAGES
LANGUAGES
Bulgarian
Chinese
Czech
Dutch
English
French
German
Hebrew
Indonesian
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Persian
Polish
Portuguese
Romanian
Russian
Slovak
Spanish
Swedish
Turkish
Ukrainian
Vietnamese
US
Politics
China
World
UK
Opinion
Business
Tech
Science
Wellness
Food
Arts
Entertainment
Uplift
Newsletter Advertise About Us Donate Contact Us Print Editions Print Archives RSS Feeds Terms of Services Privacy Policy Copyright Policy
Copyright @ 2000 - 2018
|
| |
.jpg)
.png)
.jpg)
