Time 19:00
Witold Lutosławski Concert Studio of Polish Radio in Warsaw, Modzelewskiego 59
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What could be more beautiful than birdsong? The varied and natural sounds coming from the treetops have inspired musicians since the earliest times, and were expressed particularly vividly in the illustrative harpsichord music of the 17th and 18th centuries. Ottorino Respighi (1879–1936), a leading Italian composer of the first half of the 20th century, in his charming suite Gli uccelli (The Birds, 1928) for small orchestra, combines his delight in nature with his undisguised admiration for the music of earlier eras. Each of the five movements is based on an early harpsichord piece: the Prelude and the cycle’s closing movement Cuckoo by Bernardo Pasquini, The Dove by Jacques de Gallot, The Hen by Jean-Philippe Rameau, and the anonymous Nightingale. The dancelike grace of these Baroque miniatures is presented through the lens of the composer’s refined sense of orchestral colour and masterful instrumentation, transporting listeners into a magical world of universal beauty. An entirely different realm of the composer’s sensitivity is revealed in the cantata Il tramonto (The Sunset) from 1914. This sorrowful tale of lost love, enchanted in the Romantic poetry of Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822), resounds in the expressive singing of the mezzo-soprano, supported by a dramatic orchestral part shimmering with a wide variety of shades.
In the second part of the concert, we will hear Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Symphony in D major, KV 504, from 1786. It was first presented in Prague in January of the following year, which is why it has come to be known as the “Prague” Symphony. Not without reason, the work immediately captivated its audience. Within its three-movement form, in keeping with the Italian tradition, the composer was able to fully reveal his creative individuality. Its clear structure and refined restraint of expression testify to Mozart’s musical maturity and to his exceptional ability to maintain a balance between intellect and emotion.
Marta Dziewanowska-Pachowska
PROGRAM
Ottorino Respighi (1879–1936)
Gli uccelli (Birds) – suite for a small orchestra, P.154
1. Preludio
2. La colomba (Dove)
3. La gallina (Hen)
4. L’usignuolo (Nightingale)
5. Il cucù (Cuckcoo)
Il tramonto (The Sunset) for mezzo-soprano and string orchestra
— intermission —
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
Symphony in D major, No. 38 KV 504 Prague
1. Adagio – Allegro
2. Andante
3. Finale. Presto
PERFORMERS
MONIKA LEDZION MEZZOSOPRANO
THE ORCHESTRA OF THE POLISH ROYAL OPERA
TOMASZ BUGAJ CONDUCTOR
Duration: approx. 1 h 35 mins (with an intermission)
