10 Nov 2013

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

From Composer of the Week, 9:15 am on 10 November 2013

Bologna Mozart from 1777Many people have given Mozart many titles: Murder victim; Music writing machine; Broke struggler... the list goes on. In this programme, Thomas Goss makes a case for Mozart as the first financially successful freelance composer. Goss explores the famous composer’s life through this lens, casting an economic and pragmatic light on Mozart’s marriage, performances and compositional choices.

 

Right: 1777 copy of a lost portrait, about which Mozart’s father said: “It has little value as a piece of art, but as to the issue of resemblance, I can assure you that it is perfect.”

Music Details:

MOZART: Concerto in E flat, KV365 - Katia Labèque (pno), Marielle Labèque (pno), Berlin Phil/ Semyon Bychkov (Philips 426 241)
MOZART: Prelude and Fugue in C major K. 394, Adagio - Kristian Bezuidenhout (fpno) (Harmonia Mundi HMU 90 7528)
MOZART: Prelude and Fugue in C major K. 394, Fugue - Kristian Bezuidenhout (fpno) (Harmonia Mundi HMU 90 7528)
MOZART: Et incarnates est, from Mass No 18 in C minor, K427 - Lisa Beznosiuk (fl), Anthony Robson (ob), Alastair Mitchell (bsn), Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, Sylvia McNair (sop) (Philips 420 210)
MOZART: Fugue in D, from Five four part fugues, BWV874 - Hagen Quartet (DG 477 6253)
MOZART: The Abduction from the Seraglio, Overture - ASMF/ Marriner (EMI CDC 7 47014)
MOZART: Horn Concerto No 3 in Eb K447, mvt 2 - Dennis Brain (horn), Philharmonia/ Karajan (EMI 5 66898)
MOZART: String Quintet in C minor, KV406 - Arthur Grumiaux, Arpad Gérecz, Georges Janzer, Max Lesueur, Eva Czako (Philips 456 055)