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Mozart and Beethoven at San Diego Symphony
There is no such thing as victimhood in a Beethoven symphony.
Beethoven solving humanities woes with his intellect.
Interestingly, my two favorite concerts, thus far in the 2024-2025 Jacobs Master Works Series at the San Diego Symphony, have been dominated by pieces from the classical period of music. Obviously, music at the symphony is going to be dominated by classical music. Right?
The classical period of music is roughly 1750-1820. Its major figures were Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Mozart, and early Ludwig Beethoven. Over the years, my habit has been to be attracted to music from the romantic period that followed the classical period. The romantic era has a far greater number of major figures such as Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann, Franz Liszt, Richard Wagner, Pytor Tchaikovsky, Anton Bruckner, and the list goes on and on and on. While I still look forward to hearing the romantic composers, my heart has turned back toward the more pristine classical period.
The San Diego Symphony concert on Saturday, January 18, featured Mozart and early Beethoven. Under normal circumstances, I’d consider this to be an underwhelming offering. Not anymore.
Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21 is, I think it safe to say, his most famous. It was written at the peak of his popularity in Vienna. The 29-year-old Mozart gave a series of subscription concerts in which he would perform his new compositions. For the premiere of the piano concertos written at this time, Mozart would play the solo part. According to the program notes, it was during this time that Haydn told Mozrat’s father, “ "Before God and as an honest man I tell you that your son is the greatest composer known to me either in person or by name; he has taste, and, furthermore, the most profound knowledge of composition."
The performance with pianist Javier Perianes was phenomenal. Perianes knew exactly when to push or pull the music when to let his fingers fly, and when to reign it in. Mozart’s music sparkled with crystalline clarity. Its pristine classical structure was fully realized in this performance.
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2 concluded the concert. This composition is much closer to Mozart’s Symphony No. 41 in tone and scale than it is to Beethoven’s own Symphony No. 3 which would change music forever. Conductor Eduardo Strausser gave a rousing performance. The orchestra responded to his joie de vivre by flying through Beethoven’s early masterpiece.
Although Beethoven would perfect his art in his later symphonies, the undeniable momentum of his music is fully present in his Second Symphony. The triumph of the mind is there. The Enlightenment mentality of the human intellect solving the problems of humanity comes across loud and clear. There is no such thing as victimhood in a Beethoven symphony.
Video:
Beethoven: Symphony No.2 in D major, Op.36 // Herbert Von Karajan
Here's something you might be interested in.
Mozart and Beethoven at San Diego Symphony
There is no such thing as victimhood in a Beethoven symphony.
Mozart and Beethoven at San Diego Symphony
There is no such thing as victimhood in a Beethoven symphony.
Beethoven solving humanities woes with his intellect.
Interestingly, my two favorite concerts, thus far in the 2024-2025 Jacobs Master Works Series at the San Diego Symphony, have been dominated by pieces from the classical period of music. Obviously, music at the symphony is going to be dominated by classical music. Right?
The classical period of music is roughly 1750-1820. Its major figures were Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Mozart, and early Ludwig Beethoven. Over the years, my habit has been to be attracted to music from the romantic period that followed the classical period. The romantic era has a far greater number of major figures such as Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann, Franz Liszt, Richard Wagner, Pytor Tchaikovsky, Anton Bruckner, and the list goes on and on and on. While I still look forward to hearing the romantic composers, my heart has turned back toward the more pristine classical period.
The San Diego Symphony concert on Saturday, January 18, featured Mozart and early Beethoven. Under normal circumstances, I’d consider this to be an underwhelming offering. Not anymore.
Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21 is, I think it safe to say, his most famous. It was written at the peak of his popularity in Vienna. The 29-year-old Mozart gave a series of subscription concerts in which he would perform his new compositions. For the premiere of the piano concertos written at this time, Mozart would play the solo part. According to the program notes, it was during this time that Haydn told Mozrat’s father, “ "Before God and as an honest man I tell you that your son is the greatest composer known to me either in person or by name; he has taste, and, furthermore, the most profound knowledge of composition."
The performance with pianist Javier Perianes was phenomenal. Perianes knew exactly when to push or pull the music when to let his fingers fly, and when to reign it in. Mozart’s music sparkled with crystalline clarity. Its pristine classical structure was fully realized in this performance.
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2 concluded the concert. This composition is much closer to Mozart’s Symphony No. 41 in tone and scale than it is to Beethoven’s own Symphony No. 3 which would change music forever. Conductor Eduardo Strausser gave a rousing performance. The orchestra responded to his joie de vivre by flying through Beethoven’s early masterpiece.
Although Beethoven would perfect his art in his later symphonies, the undeniable momentum of his music is fully present in his Second Symphony. The triumph of the mind is there. The Enlightenment mentality of the human intellect solving the problems of humanity comes across loud and clear. There is no such thing as victimhood in a Beethoven symphony.
Video:
Beethoven: Symphony No.2 in D major, Op.36 // Herbert Von Karajan