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I can never have enough praise for Mozart. You could say that I am a Mozartphile. I am forever surprised, astounded, delighted and intrigued by his music. Recently, I have been listening to Dvorak and Sibelius, and they surprise and astound, but they never really delight like Mozart.
The incredible thing about Mozart is how accessible he is, without losing any of his musical complexity. I think he does this by keeping his essential melody (often enchantingly beautiful) always within the listener's reach.
He bends and rotates the melody, without ever putting the fear into the listener that the melody would get lost in a myriad of incomprehensible notes. Each note, however distant and distinct from the original, makes perfect sense, and is as natural a progression as the air we breathe.
In other composers, I sometimes wonder why they went in the direction they went, or at some point, I get a little bored or distracted with their melodious experiments. But never with Mozart.
In fact, I get irritated when other (worldly) things distract me from Mozart's intricate meanders. But, he never leads us far from the origin, and never teases us too much, although he loves to tease. His music may have some jest and playfulness in it, but it is, down to the simple piano sonatas, very serious. Each note was chosen with a certain aim, and is as precious as the next.
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra is celebrating Mozart's 254 birthday (yes, any excuse will do to have a mini Mozart festival). I was present at this performance which featured his:
1. Symphony No. 25 in G Minor - K.183, which he wrote at 17.
2. Horn concerto No. 2 in E-flat Major - K. 417. Often his horn concertos are derided by classical music snobs. But these horn concertos describe his essence: his approachability; his love of the instruments that he wrote for; his playfulness (we hear those horses galloping away); and finally his seriousness in the craftsmanship and musicality of the piece.
3. The aria Ch'io mi scordi di te....Non temer, amato bene - K. 505, which the conductor Peter Oundjian described as an optimistic melody despite the melancholic lyrics.
4. Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major - K. 467. A well-known piece, but deceptively familiar. Each hearing brings on different and unexpected nuances.
The only gripe I had was with the pianist Jonathan Biss’s style. I found him too lyrical. I think Mozart is crisper and sharper than that, although he can show the utmost delicacy and gentleness. But, not all the time, and not as a signature style.
