Guest performance in Ottobeuren

Guest performance in Fürth

“In the rising of a symphony there is something divine, something similar to creation itself." (Leonard Bernstein) Life is in constant transformation and the world in constant change – and so, too, is the history of music! When eight-year-old Mozart composed his first symphonic work in 1764, the late baroque was transitioning to the classical era. The symphony was in the process of emancipating itself from its origins in the overture to Neapolitan opera. In this concert, our orchestra will perform two early symphonies by Mozart, who once said, "Creation emerges as in a pleasant and lively dream." Conductor Fabio Biondi specialises in bringing rare works to the stage, and thus this programme will feature works seldom heard from his native Italy. The Milanese composer Carlo Monza was highly regarded during his lifetime, but only a few of his pieces have been rediscovered to date. One of these is the striking Sinfonia "La tempesta di mare" of 1784, where the music condenses into a veritable storm. Giuseppe Sammartini was likewise born in Milan and later worked in London, where he was considered one of the greatest oboists of his day. His popular instrumental concertos were said to be "full of science, originality and fire". The talented Niccoló Jommelli came from Naples, but was successful beyond Italy’s borders. His opera symphonies in particular were considered exemplary and were widely disseminated as independent works from 1750 onwards. Our programme will end with a composition by another famous Wunderkind: in 1824, at the age of just 15, Mendelssohn wrote his extravagantly romantic C minor Symphony – an astonishing creation of which it was said: "New, beautiful, original. Spirit, flow, calm, melodiousness, wholeness, drama."

Guest performance

Guest performance

Guest performance

Guest performance

Guest performance

Guest performance

Guest performance

Guest performance

Guest performance