Event

Grand Harmonie: Deconstructed

Grand Harmonie's wind and string bands take a turn in the spotlight with works by Mendelssohn and Mozart, then join forces as a full classical orchestra for Mozart's Symphony no. 39 in Eb under the baton of Adam Boyles.

THE MUSIC

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W.A. Mozart - Serenade K. 375 in Eb (sextet version)

Ever the pragmatist, Mozart wrote his Serenade for pairs of clarinets, horns, and bassoons in the hopes of impressing the emperor's valet and personal cellist, but added a pair of oboes once he realized the emperor had employed a resident wind octet. The original sextet version no doubt held a special place in Mozart's heart, as he wrote to his father that preparing for bed one night, he was serenaded by local musicians with music from his own Serenade!

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Felix Mendelssohn - Sinfonia XII in G minor for strings

Mendelssohn penned several string symphonies between the ages of 12 and 14 as an exercise for his composition teacher. The G-minor from 1823 is the last complete multi-movement piece in this genre, and though we might expect a mere adolescent scribble, we find instead a fully-formed work of power and conviction. Its opening Fugue pays dramatic homage to J.S. Bach, whose music Mendelssohn would later champion and reintroduce to the wider world. A sweetly subtle Andante gives way to a darkly impetuous Allegro finale.

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W.A. Mozart - Symphony no. 39 in Eb, K. 543

Mozart's last symphonies, nos. 39-41, were composed during a single summer near the end of Mozart's life and are widely considered his best work. Of the three, no. 39 is often overshadowed by the monumental "Jupiter" (no. 41) and the dramatic G minor (no. 40), but it stands on its own as a work full of wit and passion. The unusual wind instrumentation of a single flute and pairs of clarinets, horns, and bassoons, supported by trumpets and drums, makes this a fitting close for our "Deconstructed" theme.