This weekend's concert by the String Orchestra of the Rockies promises more works from each of those categories, offering a great survey of the 19th-century composer's broad oeuvre and even broader impact.
“It is kind of a challenge to have a theme of playing music by one composer and still insert some variety and diversity, but that turns out to be pretty easy when it comes to Mozart,” said Fern Glass Boyd, a cellist and member of the SOR since its founding.
“It's one of our old favorites, always fresh, a piece we really love,” says Boyd.
The SOR will also perform two works that are closely connected to Mozart: Antonio Salieri's Contredanse for strings, and Ludwig Van Beethoven's Variations for string orchestra on “La ci darem la mano.” That latter piece is a fun set of variations based on an aria melody from Mozart's opera, “Don Giovanni.”
As to the Salieri piece, Boyd says that the orchestra will likely demonstrate for all to hear why Salieri was considered an inferior contemporary rival to Mozart.
“No contest there, it's very clear who is the greater composer,” says Boyd.
Finally and perhaps most notably, the SOR will perform two of Mozart's grander works, the 12th and 13th piano concertos. The two works were part of a triptych of concertos that Mozart wrote in one flurry during the winter of 1782-83, for subscription concerts held in Vienna. The three concertos were published together as Mozart's Opus 4 in 1785.
Although most of Mozart's concertos demand a full orchestra with wind instruments, Mozart himself indicated that these concertos could be performed either with full orchestra or with string-only accompaniment.
The piano solos on the two concertos will be performed by Alexandre Dossin, a Brazilian-born pianist who has rapidly risen to acclaim. Dossin recently received the first prize at the Martha Argerich International Piano Competition in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Argerich herself said that “(Dossin's) performances are magnificent, with very pure musical insight and an extreme sensitivity, together with real virtuosity and a very personal way of unfolding interesting ideas. The feeling that there is always more coming makes his performances a very strong experience.”
Dossin has developed something of a specialization in these two Mozart concertos, having performed them in concerts across Europe, Russia and South America.
“Both pieces are old friends of mine,” says Dossin. “But I'm excited because this is the first time I will play both (concertos) on the same concert.”
For this concert, Dossin will be premiering a little work of his own. But again, it's really all about Mozart. In many of Mozart's piano concertos, the pianist is given leeway to write his or her own cadenza - a solo interlude that typically appears toward the end of a movement in the concerto.
Dossin says he has long wanted to write his own cadenzas for these pieces; and finally, for this weekend's concerts, he did just that.
“Basically I'm rearranging (Mozart's) own themes in different keys, I work a little with modulations, put them in different orders, combine themes at the same time,” explains Dossin. “I didn't write any new theme. It's already enough challenge just to work with what Mozart has done - because the rest of it is so great, so perfect.”
Sweet strings
The String Orchestra of the Rockies will perform a concert of music by and related to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, this Sunday, Feb. 26, at 7:30 p.m. The concert takes place in the UM Music Recital Hall. Tickets are $15 regular admission and $12 for students.
Reporter Joe Nickell can be reached at 523-5358, or at jnickell@missoulian.com.
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