Conducted by Ton Koopman, the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg (Mozarteumorchester Salzburg) performs Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Symphony No. 23 in D major, K. 181/162b. This performance was recorded in 2002.
Mozart’s Symphony No. 23
Mozart’s Symphony No. 23 in D major, K. 181 was composed in 1773, during his teenage years, and highlights his emerging sophistication in orchestration and thematic development. This three-movement work is lively and spirited, with each movement demonstrating a distinct character that reflects Mozart’s early exploration of symphonic form. Despite being relatively short, Symphony No. 23 is rich in color and energy, capturing both elegance and vigor. The symphony showcases Mozart’s youthful ingenuity, blending engaging melodies with a well-balanced orchestral texture that would later define his mature style.
Mozart wrote the Symphony No. 23 as a single uninterrupted movement consisting of 3 distinct tempi:
- Allegro spiritoso, 4/4: The first movement opens with a bright, energetic theme, full of rhythmic drive and excitement. The orchestra introduces a memorable melody, punctuated by lively strings and emphatic brass accents. Mozart employs dynamic contrasts to build tension and release, creating a movement that feels both jubilant and refined, setting a joyful tone for the symphony.
- Andantino grazioso, 3/8: This graceful middle movement provides a gentle contrast to the opening. It is marked by a smooth, flowing melody introduced by the strings, with delicate support from the woodwinds. The relaxed tempo allows for a more expressive quality, with a lilting rhythm that evokes a dance-like character, creating an air of warmth and elegance.
- Presto assai, 2/4: The final movement brings the symphony to an exuberant close. Fast-paced and playful, it features rapid passages and lively exchanges between the strings and winds. The movement’s relentless energy is underscored by a brisk tempo, with a sense of urgency that drives toward a rousing conclusion, ending the symphony on a spirited high note.
Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg
The Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg was founded in 1841 with the help of Mozart’s sons Franz Xaver and Karl Thomas as well as his widow Constanze. In 1908, the ensemble officially adopted the name ″Mozarteum Orchestra″. The Orchestra is one of Austria’s leading symphony orchestras and participates regularly at the Salzburg Festival. Since 2004, Ivor Bolton has been the principal conductor of the orchestra.
The Mozarteum Orchestra has also been heard in major opera productions: at the Salzburg Festival, Ivor Bolton conducted Haydn’s Armida in 2009 and Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta in 2011 with Anna Netrebko and Piotr Beczala, as well as Stravinsky’s Le Rossignol.
In 2008 and 2010, the orchestra – once again with Anna Netrebko in the title role – performed Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette under Yannick Nézet-Séguin. In 2012, the Mozarteum Orchestra also contributed to Peter von Winter’s opera The Labyrinth or The Struggle with the Elements, Part Two of the Magic Flute at the Salzburg Festival. In 2013 the orchestra played Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy’s music in the frame of the drama A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare. For the Salzburg State Theater, the orchestra also performs musical theater works.
Every year, the Mozarteum Orchestra performs in the Mozart Matinees at the Salzburg Festival. It also performs several concerts at the Salzburg Mozart Week and for the Salzburg Cultural Association. The orchestra has 91 regular members and has been conducted by international guest conductors including Giovanni Antonini, Robin Ticciati, Marc Minkowski, Mark Elder, Frans Brüggen, Andris Nelsons, Mark Wigglesworth, and Thomas Dausgaard.
Starting with the 2011-2012 season, Trevor Pinnock as First Guest Conductor of the Mozarteum Orchestra intensifies his collaboration with the ensemble. One of the main issues of the orchestra is working with young musicians and friends of music: thus, since 2010-2011 there has been an annual school program, during which students attend interactive workshops, rehearsals, and school concerts, introducing them to classical music. Furthermore, in 2008 the Mozarteum Orchestra presented a young project entitled 2 ORCHESTRAS, which featured the world premiere of its first commission for the combination of a professional orchestra and a youth orchestra. The project continued in 2010 with a work by Toshio Hosokawa.
The main sponsor of the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg is Audi.
The Mozarteum Orchestra’s work is documented widely on CD and DVD. The CDs released by the label Oehms Classics include numerous works by Mozart, Haydn’s oratorios The Seasons and The Creation, Berlioz’s L’Enfance du Christ as well as an ongoing cycle of Anton Bruckner’s symphonies. Besides in mid-July 2013, a CD recording of the Label Sony Classical with works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was published. The Mozarteum Orchestra performed in conjunction with the harpist Xavier de Maistre and flautist Magali Mosnier. Its DVDs include Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette with Rolando Villazón and Zarzuelas with Plácido Domingo.
Sources
- Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg on Wikipedia
- Mozarteumorchester Salzburg’s official website
- Symphony No. 23 in D major, K.181/162b (Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus) on the International Music Score Library Project website
- Symphony No. 23 (Mozart) on Wikipedia