Mozart as Wolfgang would have heard his music
In a program titled “MOZART”, Richard Tognetti and his Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO), augmented with musicians from the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) and guest musicians, gave the audience at Sydney’s City Recital Hall a real treat.
ACO
Originally, the concert concept developed from informal music-making of the 17th century. Development of the concert affected the music conceived for it, and the evolution in music from Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, who were born within a 38-year period from 1732 to 1770, was largely dependent on patronage. Concerts of instrumental and vocal music were frequently given at the homes of the nobility.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, then in the Holy Roman Empire, now Austria. He composed from age of five and performed before European royalty.
The Australian Chamber Orchestra comprises 17 musicians who live and breathe music, using as near to original instruments as is possible and playing standing (other than cellos). This concert was augmented with nine ANAM instrumentalists and 17 guest musicians. That this group were so unified is a tribute to conductor and musical director Richard Tognetti.
Richard Tognetti chose three symphonies, numbers 31, 35 and 36 with the ballet music from Idomeneo for the programme.
Mozart wrote his symphonies #35 (Haffner) and 36 (Linz) very quickly, the latter in only 4 days, which explains the spontaneity of both works, so beautifully evoked in the ACO’s performance.
In November 2011, the National Library of Australia had a unique exhibition featuring 100 unique manuscript treasures from the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin (Berlin State Library), spanning more than 1000 years of history. One section of the exhibit was of handwritten music, with original manuscripts of 13 composers. An outstanding characteristic of Mozart’s manuscript was the lack of correction or alteration and the seemingly urgency of his writing, compared with the manuscripts of the other 12 composers.
Six violinists, a violist, cellist and bass from the ANAM swelled the ACO, requiring the proscenium of the Recital Hall to be extended over the front audience three rows.
Richard Tognetti conducted the performance from a slightly elevated platform in his usual lead violinist’s position. His conducting style matched his playing style, where he plays his 1743 Guaneri violin with his entire body. He alternated playing with energetically conducting using his bow as baton, balletistically stepping off and on his podium. The ACO’s interpretation of all four pieces was magnificent.
The ACO’s rendition of the Haffner’s first movement was so spontaneous and exciting, that there was enthusiastic applause before he could start the second movement. Richard Tognetti obviously fulfilled Mozart’s instruction to play “with great fire”. The unison of the expanded orchestra was impressive. They also obeyed the composer’s instruction for the Presto fourth movement to be played “as fast as possible”, a task they fulfilled while maintaining unison and cohesion.
The contrast in the interpretation of the Linz between the ACO’s and the SSO’s under Masaaki Suzuki was stark, perhaps because of the different instruments, maybe because of the different acoustic qualities of the different venues, more likely because of the different conductors. Richard Tognetti made very effective use of micropauses to emphasise contrasting sections within movements. The concert’s highlight for this audience member was the duet between the oboe and bassoon in the second movement, rightfully acknowledged by the conductor during the applause.
After the interval, we were treated to the ballet music from Idomeneo, written when Mozart was only 25. The six sections were played with minimal pauses, climaxing (literally) with the exciting Piu Allegro.
The final treat was the earliest composition in the concert, Symphony #31, “Paris”, written by the 22-year-old on his arrival in that city. Although it was the shortest of the three symphonies played, it maintained the excitement and Richard Tognetti’s precision.
Had the orchestra not left the stage after three enthusiastic curtain calls, they could well have had a late night, judging from the pleasure they gave the audience.
The performance was recorded for broadcast on ABC Classic on July 16 and on demand for 30 days thereafter. If you were unfortunate enough to miss the live performances on June 27 and 28, be sure to tune into ABC Classic for a real Mozart treat, perhaps accompanied by Mozart kugeln.
