Forever young
Carl Maria von Weber
Symphony No. 1 in C major op. 19 (1806-07)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 20 in D minor KV 466 (1785)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Symphony No.39 in E-flat major KV 543
- Alexander Melnikov piano
- Gürzenich-Orchester Köln
- Ivor Bolton conductor
Introduction 50 minutes before the concert
A concert under the motto Eternally young - that can mean many things. Music that still comes across as fresh and lively in the distant future and always manages to captivate and inspire anew. Or these wondrously talented young people who have graced the planet with incredible sounds, even though their star in the firmament of life has burned out far too early. They too will remain forever young for us.
Can you seriously compose something like a mature late work in your early 30s? In the case of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, as usual: nothing is impossible. In the summer of 1788, he put his last three symphonic strokes of genius down on paper within a few weeks. Including his Symphony No. 39 in E flat major: flooded with light and with all the compositional tricks and melodic magic. A fast-paced, catchy finale is guaranteed.
Mozart's 20th Piano Concerto is not just any of the many brilliant pieces of music that he produced in series and seemingly effortlessly, but orchestrally accompanied keyboard artistry on a whole new level. The solo part and tutti compete with each other on an unprecedented musical level. At the premiere, you could experience Mozart himself at the keys. We are almost as lucky and can look forward to Alexander Melnikov, one of the most fascinating pianists of our time.
"Perfectly consequent and with fire and insight". This is how one contemporary described Carl Maria von Weber's Symphony No. 1. No wonder: for this is a work full of zest for life and youthful exuberance from the pen of a mere 20-year-old.