Toledo Symphony

Description:

Mozart’s Paris Symphony was his thirty-first, and proved to be exceptionally popular, receiving numerous performances during his lifetime.   The Parisian orchestras were quite large, and the symphony, despite its brevity, exploits the additional forces to create a large-scale, dramatic effect.  Felix Mendelssohn’s two most popular symphonies would be inspired by a tour of Europe.  The third (the Scottish), noble, craggy, and expansive, could not be more different from the fourth, which is brimming with high spirits and dance-like energy throughout.  Though Mendelssohn was never quite satisfied with the concluding saltarella (a breathtaking peasant dance with very rapid foot motions), it has proven to be one of his most enduring creations.

Alberto Ginastera wrote his Variaciones concertantes in a deliberately neo-Classical vein, making it an ideal companion piece for these two symphonies.  The music exploits the virtuoso possibilities of the small orchestra, with significant interplay between principal players.  Though the form is very reminiscent of the Classical era, much of the melodic inspiration is derived from the folk dances of Ginastera’s native Argentina.

Points of Interest:

• The twenty-two year old Mozart did not travel to Paris purely for pleasure.  He had visited London, Munich, and Mannheim looking for a lucrative position.  Paris would prove to be a sobering experience for him.  Though the Paris Symphony, his thirty-first, was one of his successes and proved to be one of his most performed symphonies during his life, his mother, who had accompanied him, took ill during the weeks surrounding the premiere, and subsequently passed away.
• Mendelssohn’s tour of Europe was no mere weekend trip.  He passed three years on a tour of the principal cities of Europe and England.  Of all of the countries that he visited, Italy was his favorite, and the symphony reflects this affection.  He declared that every aspect of the country could be found in its pages – its people, its landscapes, and its art.

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Program:

Mozart                    Symphony No. 31 in D Major “Paris”    17’
                                    Allegro assai
                                    Andantion
                                    Allegro

Ginastera               Variaciones concertantes    21’

Intermission

 
Mendelssohn          Symphony No. 4 in A Major “Italian”    27’
                                    Allegro vivace
                                    Andante con moto
                                    Con moto moderato
                                    Saltarello: Presto  

WGTE - FM 91 broadcasts the Toledo Symphony on FM 91 In Concert. Tonight's concert will be broadcast Thursday, July 13, 2008, at 8:00 p.m. through the generosity of the Edward H. Schmidt Musical Arts Fund.

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