Wolfgang Amadeus is the king of the Classical Era and one history’s most famous composers. Immortalized in compositions such as the Requiem, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, and the multiple symphonies, as well as in the film Amadeus, Mozart’s diverse style includes moments of balance and clarity as well as asymmetrical counterpoint influenced by the famous Baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach. His widely acclaimed operas display Mozart’s humor and diverse musical language, drawn from both his numerous European travels and such teachers as Joseph Haydn and J.C. Bach.
Mozart was one of the earliest composers to use the clarinet, a latecomer to the woodwind family when compared to the already widely employed flute, oboe, and bassoon. His compositions for clarinet reflect his partnership with the famous Austrian clarinetist, Anton Stadler, for whom Mozart wrote both the Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra and the Quintet for Clarinet and Strings as well as the Trio for Clarinet, Viola and Piano, heard tonight. The trio is nicknamed the "Kegelstatt," the German phrase for bowling, because it is rumored that Mozart composed the entire work in one sitting while bowling with his friends.
The Kegelstatt Trio, K. 498, is in three movements. The lilting piano pulse in the beautiful opening movement, Andante, in 6/8 time, is complimented by soaring clarinet lines and flourishing figures between the three instruments. The second movement is in the form of Menuett and Trio. Mozart creates beautiful textures through doubling melodies in the clarinet and piano, as well as moments of the clarinet and viola without the piano. To create distinction between the two sections of the movement, Mozart moves from B-flat Major to its relative minor, G Minor, changing the mood and color. The third and final movement is marked Allegretto and begins with a stunning clarinet solo derived from the first movement, accompanied by the piano. The movement moves between lyrical lines and virtuosic piano elements as Mozart explores many different key areas while also showing varied textures.
Program Notes are by Kyle Blaha, a candidate for the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree at The Juilliard School and faculty member in the Juilliard Pre-College and Evening Division.