Mozart, The Magic Flute – Papagenos duet

In November 1793, the mother of Goethe, the German poet, had the opportunity to appreciate the enthusiasm that the performance of Mozart's Magic Flute aroused in the population of Frankfurt. Her impression, somewhat picturesque, was registered in her diary:

"Nothing new to note here, other than that The Magic Flute has been performed eighteen times and that every night the hall was full to the rafters. I don't think there is anyone who would dare to confess that he had not seen it. All the workers, the gardeners, and even the people of Sachsenhausen, whose children spend the day idle, queue up. Nothing like it has ever been seen before. The theater opens every day at four o'clock, yet hundreds of people are left without a place. They have made a lot of money!"

None of this Mozart saw, of course. He had died two years ago.
But how he would have loved to live it!

Schikaneder, as Papageno.
Ignaz Alberti engraving

Two years earlier, the premiere
On the day of the premiere in Vienna, September 30, 1791, the audience was somewhat cold at the end of the first act. Only for the second and final act did it manage to cheer up, giving a warm welcome to this "implausible magical tale full of fantasies", in Goethe's opinion. However, Mozart was left with the feeling that instead of the music, the audience was celebrating the spectacular staging by Emanuel Schikaneder – author of the verses, the idea, impresario, singer and the one in charge of playing Papageno, the "bird catcher" of the Queen of the Night.

Papageno
Of course, the ordinary public – Goethe's mother reminds us – could not remain indifferent to the fresh joviality of this "supporting actor", assistant to the protagonist Tamino who must rescue the princess and daughter of the Queen of the Night, kidnapped by a sinister character. For this purpose he has a flute –magical, by the way – and the invaluable help of this half-man, half-bird being, who supplies the Queen of the Night with birds in exchange for food.

Papageno - Papagena duet. A candid hero, Papageno, celebrates that Tamino falls in love with the princess at the mere sight of her portrait. And he wonders when love will inflame his own life; if there will be a Papagena. Apparently, there is one, but on the occasion, he loses her. At the end of the play, after many twists and turns, they meet again. This time it is for good. Papageno and Papagena will be one and will create a whole brood of little Papagenos and little Papagenas. That's what they sing.

The video begins with the last lines of the previous aria. As Papageno, the German baritone Detlef Roth. In the role of Papagena, the French soprano Gaële Le Roi.

Tchaikovsky (and Glenn Miller) - Andante cantabile from Symphony No 5

The decade from 1880 to 1890 was possibly the most serene period in the life of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. His disastrous marriage to Antonina Miliukova, the subsequent separation and the suicide attempt in the waters of the Neva River are far behind him. The new decade contemplates years of increasing fame and prestige –his successes as a composer bringing him significant incomes. All this, added to the generous patronage of Mrs. von Meck – his wealthy epistolary mistress – will make it possible to see fulfilled in 1885 one of his great illusions: to own a country house.

On the outskirts of Klin, halfway between Moscow and St. Petersburg, he found the ideal property in an old mansion that had belonged to an aristocratic family. There he subjected himself to a severe work discipline, only interrupted by long walks. In complete peace, he develops his creative passion, although the doubt about the greatness of his genius is never absent, thus encouraging the phantom of depression. On June 10, 1888 he writes to Nadezhda von Meck:

"Now I intend to work very seriously for a certain period of time. I would so much like to be able to prove not only to others, but to myself, that I am not exhausted! I often wonder if it is not time to stop writing music, if I have not abused my creative forces, if the fountain has not run dry. [...]. I don't know if I have already told you that I have decided to write a symphony. At first, my work progressed painfully, but now it seems that the light of inspiration has been kindled within me... We shall see..."

The work he is working on is the Fifth Symphony, which will keep him busy during June and July of that year. He is driven, in fact, by the desire to create a work that surpasses all his previous production. He half succeeds. With Pyotr Ilyich conducting, its premiere took place in St. Petersburg on November 17, to a lukewarm reception. Shortly afterwards, in Prague, things did not improve. The musician lost faith in his own work and in that spirit wrote to Nadezhda: "[the work has] something unpleasant, a lack of spontaneity that the audience notices."

The andante cantabile

However, the following year he would conduct it in Hamburg during a concert tour, with overwhelming success (reportedly with Johannes Brahms in the audience). He was then able to write that the Fifth Symphony had won back his sympathies. And time has proved him right. For many specialists, its second movement, andante cantabile, is one of Tchaikovsky's most inspired symphonic movements, to the point of inspiring others, fifty years later...

The rendition is by the young Russian orchestra, created in 2000, the Moscow City Symphony, under the baton of Dmitri Jurowsky.

Fifth Symphony in E minor, op 64. Second movement

Andante cantabile, con alguna licenza

Entrusted to the low strings, some emotionally charged and mysterious measures begin the movement. At 0:48 a melody emerges, soft and melancholic, played by the horn. It is then joined by the oboe and clarinet (1:54).

2:08 Second theme, entrusted to the clarinet. 2:45 The strings play the first theme, then the second. An intermediate episode provides the pretext for a very delicate clarinet solo (5:05). Then, at 6:16, a more agitated episode, which will stop abruptly.

6:50 Violas and violins in pizzicato: preamble for the re-entry of the first theme, played by the same strings.

8:08 The rhythm becomes somewhat livelier (con alguna licenza?), always with the first theme. (This passage excited Glenn Miller, I imagine).

8:50 The second theme reappears, the orchestra in tutti. 9:49 After a fictitious lull, the trombones burst in, quoting the main motif of the First Movement.

10:35 The strings whisper the second theme, dolcissimo. A final chant by the oboe closes the movement.

Tchaikovsky Americanized

As many of you have guessed, the main melody of the second movement became very popular during the first half of the 20th century, thanks to Glenn Miller and Frank Sinatra, among others, who recorded a sung version of the theme with the title "Moon Love". As it is indeed a novelty, this page has invited the maestro Miller to tell us how Tchaikovsky can also have a swing.

Mozart, last Sonata for piano, K 576

 
During the years that Mozart and Constance lived in Vienna after their marriage in 1782, the couple changed residence eleven times. Some of these moves had to be made in haste; others had to be made stealthily after the landlord had tired of demanding the rent. Although no one can explain it properly – given the many successes, that of Figaro, for example – Mozart's financial situation during his last years was marked by precariousness.

Chamber composer at last
After Gluck died in 1787, Mozart was able to access the position of court chamber composer, but the urgent economies of the Austrian treasury prevented him from being paid the same salary as his predecessor. He had to settle for 800 florins – as opposed to 2000 that Gluck received – which made him exclaim "too much for what I do, too little for what I could do". Sure, he had been hired only to compose dances for the annual balls in the Redoutensaal, the concert and dance hall.

A long journey

So when in April 1789 his friend Prince Lichnowsky invited him to Potsdam, to the court of King Frederick William II of Prussia, Wolfgang immediately embarked on the long journey that included Prague, Dresden, Leipzig and Berlin, cities whose courts would take advantage of the maestro's presence to commission him for some works. And he was right, for no sooner had he arrived in Prague than the director of the Opera commissioned a new work from him. The commission: 1,000 guilders, not bad.

It was a good start. But that was all. Or almost.

Frederica Louise of Prussia

Dresden, Leipzig, Berlin, Potsdam

In Dresden, he played before the Elector Frederick Augustus, who presented him with a golden snuffbox containing a hundred florins. In Leipzig he improvised on the Bach organ in the Church of the Tomasschulle... and in Berlin, the reception was rather discreet.
But at the court residence in Potsdam, he played before the king, who – through his "royal music director" – kindly commissioned six string quartets from him, and some compositions for his daughter Frederica, an enthusiastic keyboard player.

There were no opera commissions nor offering of positions. Three months later, Mozart returned to Vienna with a hundred florins.

Mozart's last sonata

It is believed that the Sonata K. 576 in D major, the last one composed by Mozart, may have been one of the pieces that Frederick William requested for his daughter. It is dated July 1789 but was not printed until 1805. Although Mozart's autograph includes the legend "leichte Klaviersonate" (easy sonata), it is a very difficult piece, which raises doubts as to whether Wolfgang composed it with the king's daughter in mind, or, failing that, some other little princess. If so, it is the only one he wrote for that purpose.

The faultless rendition is by the Japanese pianist Mitsuko Uchida.
(A brief guide, following the video.)

According to some, it is the most difficult sonata of all those written by Mozart. But the technical problems do not arise from the thematic material, lively and agile, but from the careful contrapuntal treatment, inspired perhaps by the visit to Leipzig and Wolfgang's reunion with the still latent figure of JS Bach.

As was typical of the time, the work is in three movements, in a standard fast, slow, fast order:

00  Allegro  Markedly contrapuntal in character (the left hand repeats what the right hand has done), the main theme reappears continuously, subject to imitation (for example 0:42). At 1:01 a sub-theme appears, drawn from the opening material. 1:25 Da capo: the entire first section is repeated. 3:35 Recapitulation and development: a concentrated study of counterpoint.

5:06  Adagio  In the dominant key of A major, a clean and clear melody, at times softly veiled by chromatic runs. 

10:20  Allegretto  A very lively rondo, almost as contrapuntal as the first movement. Particularly novel is the canon "in fifths" at 12:31. The movement ends in complete calm.

Verdi, La Traviata, "Parigi o cara"

With all due respect, I venture to paraphrase Shakespeare to point out that "never was a story of more woe than this of Violetta and her Alfredo".

How did it all happen? Alfredo Germont himself tells here for this modest blog how the tragedy unfolded:

"Despite her pallor, Violetta Valéry, my Violetta, was a woman as dazzling as a sunny summer day. I cannot give more details because I had only seen her from afar, in the company of my great friend Gaston, of whom she was, I must admit, her lover. Ignorant of my secret love for her, good old Gaston invited me one day to be his companion to Violetta's salon where, as usual, my beloved from afar was giving a party to be attended by the tout Paris.

"Once there, I was introduced to her and in less than a minute I fell at his feet. As I knew she was just recovering from a nagging illness, I expressed my wishes for everlasting good health. Next, I thought of declaring my love for her but Gaston and Violetta's friends called me to make a toast to Violeta and to life when I was in the middle of it. Timorous at first, I finally managed to enthuse the whole audience, who ended up singing along with me and Violetta in a brilliant chorus.

"Shortly before we passed into the dining room, and seeing that Violeta was delaying a little – perhaps on purpose - I found myself alone with her for the first time and right there I declared my eternal love to her. Violeta did not seem very sure of the seriousness of my intentions but later, when we said goodbye, she gave me a flower, telling me in my ear to come back "when the flower had withered". I returned home filled with joy.

"I don't want to bother you with details about the further steps of our engagement. What is certain is that, three months later, we found ourselves living in the country house that Violetta had in the outskirts of Paris because, I must say, although I was the son of nobles, I did not have a country house, neither in the outskirts of Paris nor anywhere else. 

"And this is when my father Giorgio comes in and the tragedy begins. Attentive guardian of the family's honor, Giorgio Germont took a very dim view of the fact that I had " bedded", he said, with a "courtesan"... My sister's marriage to a very noble nobleman was approaching, and it was not in anyone's interest that my future brother-in-law should learn that I was living in sin with that courtesan, my love. So he found nothing better than approach the country house while I was frolicking in the meadows and gardens, and convince Violetta that she should abandon me. Of course, I learned that later. What I found on my return was a letter in which Violetta confessed to me that she had entered the phase of disaffection. Next to the letter, there was an invitation from Flora, Violetta's soul friend, to an evening in Paris. There was no doubt – I mistakenly thought –, my former friend Gaston had to be behind all this.

"Pained as only one who has been the victim of an infamous betrayal by a loved one can be, I left the house and headed for Paris. On the appointed day, I went to Flora's house to confront Violetta face to face. I claimed her felony, perhaps inelegantly, because the whole crowd turned against me. Even my father scolded me, who appeared there by surprise, looking for me (now I know why). Irritated, Flora and her guests suggested that I had to leave the room. That's what I did, but not before I had told Violetta a few truths... truths? Oh, how wrong was I wandering through life. Violetta, my Violetta, even confessed that she was having an affair with Gaston, lying to me and to herself. What pain!

"And all because I'd have listened to my father.

"Violetta was already consumed by tuberculosis when my father confessed everything to me: the sacrifice she had made for him, for my sister and for the honor of a family she did not know. Violetta did love me and had always loved me. And now, helpless and sick, she was only waiting for death. I ran to see her, praying to God and all the saints in heaven that it was not too late: I needed her forgiveness more than the air I breathed.

"The Lord, immensely kind, granted us a rest. According to the doctor, Violetta had only a few hours left. But I felt her revive with my arrival. We even made plans, we would leave Paris, we would travel. But she had no strength left. She announced her death to me with terrible words: you did not save me, she said."

La Traviata, Act III - Violetta and Alfredo's duet "Parigi o cara"

Violetta: Renée Fleming / Alfredo: Joseph Calleja

Muzio Clementi, Sonatina in D major

The Italian composer and pianist Muzio Clementi was born in Rome in 1752, four years before Mozart. As he showed great musical talent at an early age, his father, a well-to-do goldsmith, did not hesitate to put him in the hands of a music teacher at the age of seven. The decision proved to be a wise one, for at thirteen Muzio took the position of organist in the church. Shortly afterwards, he was invited by a wealthy Englishman to continue his instruction in England, in exchange for living up the evenings at the potentate's mansion, where he remained until 1774, first studying the harpsichord and then delighting an audience that could not cease expressing his amazement at the young Roman's display of virtuosity.

A brilliant concert pianist
But unlike the other prodigy – his contemporary Mozart – the young Clementi did not make his first public appearance as a pianist until 1770, that is, when he was eighteen years old. His first compositions – here again the stark contrast – were published around 1772, and he made his first European tour nine years later, in 1781. However, despite the gap with the genius of Salzburg,  by that time Muzio Clementi had made a name for himself as one of the most brilliant concert pianists in the Europe of his time.

Muzio Clementi (1752 - 1732)

Clementi versus Mozart
This was perhaps what encouraged Emperor Joseph II to hold a unique competition in the salons of his court, when he was given the opportunity to have the two artists in Vienna, precisely during the tour that Clementi was making for the first time.
At the beginning of 1781, Wolfgang and Muzio gave their best, performing their own works and improvising variations on themes proposed by the emperor or by some courageous courtier. When the "contest" was over, Joseph II saw fit to declare a draw.

A theme, "on loan"
However, the one who came out on top was Mozart, for one of the themes from the sonata Clementi presented at that evening so captivated Mozart that, ten years later, he allowed himself to use it in the overture to The Magic Flute. The unauthorized "collaboration" deeply embittered Clementi, who was forced to include a note every time he published the sonata, warning that the theme had been composed ten years before the celebrated opera.

Sonatinas Opus 36
The loaned sonata, of course, was only one of the approximately 110 sonatas that Muzio Clementi composed throughout his life, the first of them, shorter, published as "sonatinas". His opus 36, consisting of six sonatinas of no more than five minutes in length, has since its creation constituted a delightful oasis for the beginning pianist who, having forgotten for a while the tedious exercises of technique, counts on them to early dive in the marvelous world of classicism.

Sonatina No 6 in D major
Rarely performed in public by virtuosos, they make up a beautiful collection of little gems that, despite their apparent simplicity, may demand from the performer even more application than some of Mozart's early sonatas. For all these reasons, we are very grateful that the extraordinary Chinese pianist Yuja Wang had no qualms about uploading an early performance of Sonatina No. 6, when she was still a child, when she was not yet Yuja Wang, although she was very seriously on her way to becoming one.

The sonatina has only two movements:

00: Allegro con spirito. An elegant theme, marked dolce, begins the little gem. After its natural development, it resolves at 1:15 to approach a second theme at 1:17. A pair of interrogative phrases will announce (at 1:46) the return to the initial motive (1:53) that this time will lead to a resolute ending.

3:11 Allegretto spiritoso. Yuja takes her time before approaching it, like a pro. The first part incorporates the end of the movement and the end of the piece. Therefore, the second part (beginning at 3:48) carries in the last bar the indication "da capo al fine" thus signaling that now the first part must be repeated completely (4:51) until its "fine". This is known as "ternary form".