Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Clarinet Concerto in A major, K 622

In the final year of his life, in 1791, Mozart created several inconceivably perfect works: The Magic Flute, Requiem, Ave verum corpus motet and the Clarinet Concerto. What is more, this latter was put together in stolen minutes of an extremely busy schedule for the brilliant Viennese clarinettist, Anton Stadler. Antal Molnár characterizes in rapturous terms the atmosphere and the emotion of the concerto starting out from its proximity to The Magic Flute: the libretto and plot are linked to the music, so it is relatively easy to guess what “human motives Mozart’s frame of mind was most closely tied to at that time.” In short, eternal goodness, pure forgiveness, radiant joy of life, the predisposition (to be found in every person) towards the infinite cosmos. All this is paired with high solemnity in the stage work; however, the clarinet concerto is not of a festive sound, but rather it is the pure distillation of the joie de vivre filtered from the sublime. We could also say, not E-flat major but A major. The perfect good feeling, happiness, with a tone of sensual pleasure. Antal Molnár finds a truly poetic simile for the secret of the unity of the work: “the opening Allegro, the Adagio in the middle and the closing Rondo have a defining theme as if they wanted to illustrate a family similarity. Amongst the three siblings the first is diligent, upright and likes to talk seriously and pleasantly; the slow sibling is exuberant and dreamy; the third – the Rondo – is delusive, amusing and induces laughter while showing a serious face.”

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony in C major, No. 36, K 425

The Symphony in C major was composed in 1783, when after a lengthy absence Mozart visited his home town of Salzburg. On the return trip, he and his wife stopped over in Linz and Mozart gave a concert in the local theatre. He actually wrote the new symphony – at “head-over-heels speed” – for this occasion. Therefore, the sobriquet of the work, ‘Linz’, refers to the place it originated from. In fact, the speed of its creation is truly unbelievable: Mozart began work on 30 October and he drafted the scores himself, he (presumably) held two rehearsals, and finally the new work was performed in concert on 4 November.