Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Mozart was born in Salzburg in 1756. His father Leopold was a musician (choir master at the Archdiocese of Salzburg) and it was him who would give son Amadeus and daughter Nannerl their musical training. Mozart demonstrated excellent musical capabilities from the beginning, as much as playing at Clavicembalo at the age of four and composing minuets. Leopoldo did his best to make the most of his two kids’ early prodigy. They performed in the presence of Queen Maria Teresa, arousing the amazement of those present. In the year that followed, in 1763, Mozartian infants began a tour through Munich, Mannheim, Frankfurt, Brussels, and many other important cities to later reach Paris and London. During this time, Mozart learned to play the violin and organ, while he aroused interest as a performer of gallant-style compositions in the harpsichord. During this trip, Mozart had the opportunity to enter the finest cultural and musical venues, in particular in Paris where he met M. Grommi, D’Alambert, J. Schoubert and in London where he met J.S. Bach, C.F.Abel and others. These experiences enriched Mozart and enabled him to learn new composing techniques. In 1767, Mozart returns to Salzburg and he begins composing non-stop until the day he dies. Mozart took many trips from Vienna to Italy where his talent stood out from the age of 11. In 1772, the patron archbishop of Mozart died, and with his estate H. Coloredo the musician clashed on several occasions until in 1777 he decided to leave the archdiocese’s court and leave Stalzburg. He gave classes and composed to make a living. In 1781 he decided to live in Vienna where he became acquainted with Costanza, who became his wife. In 1782 he was commissioned by the emperor to write an opera, and he composed “Il ratto dal serraglio” then dedicated himself to composing other genres, thus abandoning theater for several years until making acquaintance with Lorenzo Da Ponte who would become his librettist and that made him return and compose three operas “Le Nozze di Figaro”, “Don Giovanni” and “Cosi fan tutte” which had a remarkable success. Despite his prestige and genius, in addition to the poor health since he was a child, he was in difficult economic conditions.
All this was aggravated by the sudden death of his father in 1787. Other calamities led the composer to severe physical degradation and catastrophic economic conditions. In fact, Mozart rejected Emperor Joseph II’s offer to remain loyal to the Austrian emperor who unfortunately died and his successor showed no interest in music. Returning to Vienna, Mozart composed “The Magic Flute” on the subject of Schikaneder and started the famous Requiem which he failed to complete due to the sudden and premature death of the maestro in 1791.
Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770-1827)
L.V. Beethoven’s life has been full of difficulties and lonely. Born in Bonn in 1770 to a prominent family with musical traditions, his grandfather was an organist. He went through a difficult childhood, his father driven by economic problems, ends up a drunkard, and his mother dyes while he is still a boy, leaving the responsibility of taking care of his two little brothers to him. He continues his music studies playing the organ with the Archbishop of Bonn. In 1792, encouraged by friends and artlovers, he moved to Vienna, where a class was being created for those interested in promoting musical activities: at last the composer could be released from “service” to an aristocrat to work as a “free professional”.
In Vienna, in the city he would never abandon, he composes concerts, publishes his operas, and teaches. He feels overwhelmed by a strong optimism and love for humanity that he seeks to convey through his works. As the years go by, he begins to manifest an “impossible” evil for a musician: hearing loss. The disease transforms him: little sociable, he even contemplates suicide. He isolates himself from the world and follows his compositions led by his “inner ear”. In this period his most powerful works are born. Among them are the Symphonies N. 5, 6, 9, Mass. Solemne, the last sonata, the “Moonlight sonata” and the last quartets. The prestige and favor given to these deeds does not change Beethoven’s life and the villa continues to be isolated. Beethoven lived in the time transformed by the French Revolution, into a new musical world that firmly paved the way for romanticism. It gives the balance of the classical sonata form a new vitality, a pensive momentum that opens the music to undiscovered horizons and completely renews it in harmonic and timbric, rhythmic and melodic sense. His music is shaped by the artist’s inner conflicts, exposes his passions and pains naked and interprets ideals. He influenced all of his contemporary and future composers who recognized in him the fundamental figure of musical history. In 1827, stricken with polio, his health deteriorated. After three painful surgical interventions he dies in Vienna. His death aroused a strong emotion of pain. The city paid a high tribute to him.
Program:
Serenade n. 11 KV 375 – W. A. Mozart
Allegro maestoso – Minuetto I and Trio – Adagio
Minuetto II and Trio – Allegro
Performed by:
Erik Tauzi, Gëzim Toskaj – Oboe
Elton Katroshi, Erenik Behlula – Clarinet
Orges Malaj, Sadik Meniku – Fagot
Ilir Kodhima, Vildan Mumajesi – French horn
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Piano Quartet op. 16 – L. V. Beethoven
Grave – Allegro, ma non troppo – Andante cantabile – Rondo: Allegro ma non troppo
Performed by:
Etrita Ibrahimi – Piano
Gëzim Bulçari – Violin
Flobens Zyma – Viola
Gëzim Hysi – Cello