The salon, a meeting place for sophisticated social circles in Paris, played an important role in the cultural life of the 18th century. People talked there about literature, painting, music, poetry. Also about decoration, "good dress", and "good taste". By the middle of the century, good taste, or good tone, had imposed the tradition of inviting people to tea "English style". A sort of cocktail of our days, but at an earlier hour. It was accompanied by succulent dishes, which were consumed while listening to a group of musicians invited for the occasion.
At the Palais du Temple
The painting by Ollivier that heads this article illustrates the scene. Accompanied by his full court, the Prince de Conti celebrates an "English tea" in the four mirrors hall of the Palais du Temple, in Paris. On the left, as part of the group of musicians, a child is seated at the harpsichord... is Mozart. The painter is paying homage to the visit of the Mozart children to Paris in 1763. Wolfgang was then seven years old.
The pastiche
In Mozart's time, it was a widespread custom to give a "public" concert with fragments of various works. Gradually it also became a healthy custom (as widespread as it was) to compose one's own work by taking pieces from different authors. It was called "pasticcio", as it resembled the so-called operas, constructed with different arias to suit the abilities of different singers. Mozart was no stranger to pastiche, at least in his first four concertos. But that was the way of composing. Whether it was good or bad was another matter.
Along with three others (K 37, K 40-41), Mozart would have composed it at the age of eleven, back in Salzburg after the extensive family tour for more than three years through Europe.
The vast majority of scholars attribute it to Mozart, although it is important to note that the manuscript is almost entirely in the handwriting of Leopold, the father. However, all agree that the piano part may have been improvised by Wolfgang and committed to paper by Leopold.
Movements:
The materials Mozart used to construct the concerto for piano and orchestra come from sonatas attributed to a pair of German virtuosi whom Mozart admired, and whose work he may have encountered in Paris.
00:00 Allegro spiritoso
05:12 Andante staccato
11:05 Molto allegro
The performance (audio only) is by the excellent American pianist Murray Perahia, accompanied by the English Chamber Orchestra.
No comments :
Post a Comment