MOZART CLARINET CONCERTO
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
By Jacob Jahiel
Gabriela Lena Frank
Born September 26 , 1972 in Berkeley , California Resides in Booneville , California
CONCERTINO CUSQUEÑO [ 2012 ]
Gabriela Lena Frank ( b . 1972 ) is a composer whose voice is as unique as her inspirations are varied . Born in California , her mother is a Peruvian immigrant with Chinese heritage ; her father is of Lithuanian and Jewish ancestry . Forging unlikely stylistic connections is intrinsic to her musical identity . In Concertino Cusqueño , composed in 2012 , Frank draws upon her affinity for twentieth-century English composer Benjamin Britten , imagining guiding him through her mother ’ s native Peru .
Two main musical ideas form the basis for Concertino : the five-note timpani motif that begins Britten ’ s Violin Concerto and a traditional Peruvian religious melody , Ccollanan María . Following in the footsteps of ethnographer-composers like Béla Bartók , Frank has traveled extensively throughout South America to observe local musical traditions , studies which emerge in this imaginative cross-cultural tapestry .
Creating a rich array of textures and timbres , Frank juxtaposes soloistic episodes — for instance the introductory piccolo / bass clarinet duet and small string ensembles comprised of principal players — with generously orchestrated passages . Classical idioms meld with vibrant Peruvian folk traditions in a work that teems with lively dances and sinuous melodies , producing a soundscape that surely would have appealed to Britten ’ s childlike sense of wonder .
Instrumentation Two flutes , two oboes , two clarinets , two bassoons , two horns , two trumpets , timpani , suspended cymbal , snare drum , triangle , marimba , harp , celesta , and strings .
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Born January 27 , 1756 in Salzburg , Austria Died December 5 , 1791 in Vienna , Austria
CLARINET CONCERTO IN A MAJOR [ 1791 ]
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died on December 5 , 1791 , at around one o ’ clock in the morning .
His final years were plagued by dire financial struggles compounded by periods of acute depression . By early 1791 , though still in debt , Mozart ’ s financial prospects began to improve , accompanied by a burst of creative activity that saw the creation of The Magic Flute , La clemenza di Tito , and the Clarinet Concerto in A major , K . 622 . Finished late in the fall of 1791 , mere weeks before his death , the Concerto marks his last completed major work .
The Concerto as we know it underwent two significant metamorphoses , one before Mozart ’ s death and one post-mortem . The first was a matter of simple requisition ; roughly half of the material from the first movement had initially been intended for a concerto for basset horn . The second , however , forever changed the future of the clarinet , an instrument still in its infancy . Anton Stadler , the Austrian virtuoso for whom the work was written , modified his clarinet to extend its range downwards , and Mozart wrote the solo part accordingly . That Mozart died before publishing the work meant Stadler ’ s design never caught on . When , around 1800 , editions of the Concerto finally emerged , the lowest notes were transposed upwards to a range accessible to the standard
From the Stage
by YaoGuang Zhai , BSO Principal Clarinet
I first learned the Mozart Clarinet Concerto when I was 15 , and since then I ’ ve never stopped . It ’ s basically the piece for all clarinetists around the world — we all learn it . It is performed at every single audition — whether for college , conservatory , or professional orchestras . I even auditioned for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra with this piece ! But the funny thing about the Concerto is that it doesn ’ t get easier — it actually gets harder . The more you learn , the more you know about it , the more you feel the challenges both musically and technically .
Whenever I perform or prepare the Concerto , I ’ m thinking , “ Wow , this is Mozart ’ s last completed big work before his death .” It ’ s very meaningful to all of us , and as a clarinetist , I feel really grateful that we have this masterpiece in our repertoire .
I also think about what he had been through in his very short life . He had financial difficulties , he had been very sick , and four of his six children had died . As a father , I actually feel that pain . It ’ s still Mozart , but you can feel that there ’ s actually a lot of darkness underneath . And I think this is very unique compared with his other concertos .
It ’ s always a great privilege to play with the BSO , my home team . I ’ ve played this piece with many other orchestras , but it ’ s always fantastic to perform with my own colleagues . Musically , I know them , and they know me very well . I know that behind me are my people who are going to support me musically in whatever I do . I know they will follow me , and that we will support each other . It ’ s basically like a large chamber music collaboration to me , which makes this performance very special .
26 OVERTURE / BSOmusic . org