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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Most observers of the young Mozart's musical gifts were awestruck by the depth of his musical genius. When he was only five years old, he traveled from his home in Salzburg to Munich and gave his first concert tour. While only seven years of age, he was featured on tour in Western Europe as a wunderkind, who demonstrated his strengths both as a composer and as a performer on the harpsichord. The child Mozart was already a famed keyboard soloist at age seven. He performed concerts with his sister Nannerl, for the noblemen and rich patricians throughout Western Europe. In 1764, the uncanny talent of young Amadeus was the subject of an occasional boast by his father Leopold. "Now four sonatas by Mr. Wolfgang Mozart are at the engraver's and imagine the noise these keyboard sonatas will make in the world when it says on the title page that they are the work of a child of seven." The child prodigy also had a gift for learning new instruments. Prior to the printing preparations for the four sonatas, Leopold tried to amuse his son with a briedf organ lesson. His father explained how to use the pedal. Following Leopold's truncated instructions, his young son pushed the bench away, and standing at they keyboard, began to improvise as though he had practiced the instrument for many months. At the ripe old age of seven, Mozart was already an accomplished harpsichordist, violinist, and organist.
When Mozart was only 12 years old he composed a full-scale opera. But the talents of the young genius were not without others' skepticism. The opera composer, Gluck, was one of Mozart's harshest critics, and he attempted to discredit the child's talents. But the stunning musical ability of Mozart neutralized any of these false accusations. He eimply went about his business and went to vienna. There he completed an opera buffa, La finta semplice, which was staged in Salzburg the next year. Immediately, he composed the one act opera Bastien und Bastienne (a Singspiel, which is an opera with German libretto and spoken dialog.
Idomeneo Overture
In 1780 in Munich, Mozart was offered a major opera commission. The opportunity came at a very good time. Mozart was thrilled to be able to compose opera, and also, he was equally delighted to get away from Salzburg and the constant scrutiny of his father. The opera he composed and orchestrated was Idomeneo. It was a tragic opera in the "courtly tradition of Lully and Rameau, and the music was originally composed by the French composer Andre Campra."
Soon Mozart began to feel stifled in Munich because his boss, the archbishop Colloredo, required Mozart to perform frequently for his guests from Vienna's high nobility. Mozart grew impatient because this arrangement did not allow him time to organize his own recitals. Mozart, who had been recognized as a virtuoso in Europe and who had dined with royalty, felt that his boss did not respect him. Mozart believed that a "serious musician deserved to rank high on the social scale," and he thought that "the creative individual, no matter what his legal rank, should have his full due."
Serenade No. 12 K.388
The wind ensemble, referred to in Germany as the Harmoniemusik, was a popular ensemble featured in many mid-18th century compositions heard throughout continental Europe and England. Serenades were intended to be used as outdoor entertainment and the music was used to enhance the ambience of an outdoor party. In 1782, Mozart was putting the last details together in the Serenade No. 12, K.388, in C Minor, while in Vienna, his opera Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail, K.375 was being premiered.
The four movement Serenade No. 12, K.388 employs some characteristics of a Sturm und Drang symphony. In the first movement, the minor key remains throughout the entire exposition. The key enhances the serious mood, but this is an uncharacteristically stern statement found with the Mozart Serenades. It could be that Mozart was hoping that audiences would listen attentively to a Serenade composed in a minor key. The second movement "Andante" is a lyrical variation movement. In the third movement strict canonic imitation is heard in both the Menuetto and Trio. The last movement is a spirited rondo that concludes happily in a major key.
-- program notes by Laurien Jones