[CLASSICAL MUSIC] Music Sprung From Plato's World Of Ideas 📯
When listing Mozart's 10 or so greatest masterpieces the Gran Partita is often omitted, this despite the fact that it's widely considered among the very greatest works of Mozart's chamber music. Serenade no. 10 in B-flat major, Köchel 361, often called "Gran Partita", is a serenade for 13 instruments (12 of them wind) written around 1781-1784, when Mozart was in his mid-twenties during a particularly happy period living in Munich. During this time he also wrote his first mature opera; the magnificent Idomeneo, where he succeeds in combining both tragedy and comedy with drama.
A more than well-equipped wind ensemble is required to perform the Gran Partita; 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 basset horns, 2 bassoons, 4 horns and double bass. It's also his largest and arguably his most complex and innovative instrumental work which takes about 45 minutes to perform. Perhaps this contributes to why it's not performed very often. I've heard people classifying this music as 'light music' or 'Salon music', with a scoffing grimace on their faces. Don't mind them. Each movement is based on exquisitely beautiful melodies - simple yet perfect - as if sprung from Plato's world of ideas. The instruments play and dance with each other, answer and complement, and create unforgettable strophes. It's obvious how well Mozart knew the sounds and characteristics of each instrument, and lovely how he allows each one of them come into their own and express their unique characters. This is very much evident in the slow third movement, the Adagio, where each instrument sings like angels in some of the most beautiful harmonies ever written. Enjoy the wonderful performance on period instruments by Frans Brüggen and his Orchestra of the 18th Century below.
@SteemSwede
GRAN PARTITA K.361, Serenade no. 10 in B-flat major
- Largo-Molto Allergro
- Menuetto
- Adagio
- Menuetto
- Romance Adagio-Allegretto-Adagio
- Tema con Variazione
- Finale
(Painting: "Music" by Samuel de Wilde, c. 1801)
He was such an impressive genius. Its an insult to call his music light or salon. Good "pop" music is the soul of human emotion
It's a very nice piece, and your well written description makes it even more enjoyable. I've shared this to our Steemit's Best Classical Music facebook page, and scheduled your other two recent classical music posts for Thursday and Friday mornings (US/Eastern). Thank you for your contributions to the platform, especially the ones on this topic.