Concert Review – 4 February 2024
- Mozart: La Clemenza di Tito Overture
- Mozart: Clarinet Concerto
- Haydn: Il Mondo della Luna Overture
- Haydn: Symphony No. 94
- Conductor: Hitoshi Suzuki
- Clarinet Soloist: Lola Frisby Williams
This was a carefully curated concert, circling around the year 1791, Mozart’s love of the clarinet in his final months, and the mutual respect of the greatest composer of the time, Haydn.
The arresting opening statements of the Overture to La Clemenza di Tito contrasting with Mozart’s delicate phrases were handled with confidence. And the tricky passage work deftly handled by the excellent string band.Creative programming at its best: composed in his last months, Mozart shows us his love of the new kids on the block – clarinets – the obligato arias in the opera are still some of the most sensuous in all the repertoire.
In the Clarinet Concerto, composed just a month later, which thanks to basset clarinettist Stadler left us with Mozart’s last major composition, the string band provided an attentive ground to the soloist under the gossamer touch of maestro Hitoshi Suzuki. Lola Frisby Williams played with cool panache with an enviable tone: richness like melting Austrian chocolate. Her clarinet – a Yamaha Custom – a natural extension of her body, was used to great communicative effect, particularly in the first movement’s development. The Adagio was sublime. Surely only Mozart could imbue a movement in D major with such transcendence, longing and perfumed nostalgia: performed with calm poise. This movement still fills me with terror: iron lungs are needed for the breath control Mozart demands. No such issue here – before Lola then proceeded to add the sparkle to the carefree rondo – showing us how it should be done.
It was a treat to hear the Overture to Il Mondo della Luna: the exuberant buffo passages cleverly contrasting the E flat introspection representing the moon, darkness and sleep.
And so to Symphony 94 – the ‘Surprise’ – bringing us back to 1791. The first movement was taken at a relaxed canter: clearly everyone was having fun. The ‘surprise’ in the second movement was crisply delivered. I wonder whether Haydn’s tongue was in his cheek through playful key changes, and that chain of diminished sevenths over the closing tonic pedal. Maestro Suzuki found the dance throughout, to heart-warming effect – the Ländler came straight from Vienna!
All beautifully set against Strode Theatre’s cyclorama, bathed in a warm lilac glow. The next concert, on 11th May, comes highly recommended.
Robin Stokoe