Classical and Modern Music
Format: CD
Code: 113260
EAN: 3838898113260
W. A. MOZART - FLUTE QUARTETS
Matej Grahek, flute
Miran Kolbl, violin
Maja Rome, viola
Igor Škerjanec, cello
The chamber music works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) rarely introduce combinations of wind and string instruments. Four out of five such pieces are flute quartets, more precisely flute, violin, viola and cello quartets, which is rather surprising, considering the fact that he was a composer who (in his own words) »could not abide« the flute.
The first quartet, Quartet in D major, K. 285, was written at the end of 1777 when Mozart and his mother Maria Anna, while travelling to Paris (where Maria Anna eventually passed away), spent six months in Mannheim. Johann Baptist Wendling, an amateur flute player, introduced Mozart to another flute aficionado – Ferdinand De Jean (probably De Jong), a wealthy doctor, and The Dutch East India Co employee. De Jean promised Mozart 200 florins and commissioned him to compose
‘three small, light and short concerti and two quartets for the flute’, as the composer wrote in the letter to his father. Several days later and somewhat apologetically, however, Mozart explained that he is in fact joyful to be composing, but that he »cannot find a moment of peace. I can only compose at night, but then I have difficulties getting up the next morning. And, furthermore, nobody can work all the time; I could scribble all I wanted, but this music will be heard, and I do not want
to be ashamed of it. And, last but not least, I am very much confined by the fact that I must compose for an instrument that I cannot abide.«
In the following letter (dated December 18), Mozart mentioned that he »is about to finish composing the quartet for the Indian Dutch«. Indeed – Flute Quartet in D major, K. 285 was completed in merely a week (the manuscript that was lost during WW2 held the date December 25). Even though the flute enjoys the leading role from the opening Allegro all through to the end, it is faithfully accompanied by the violin (similar to opera duets): either in thirds or in counterpoints,
sometimes as an echo or (rarely) as a »simple« accompaniment. Adagio brings the pensive melody in the flute and delicate string pizzicato, evoking the impressions of a guitar accompanying a singer; it is, without pause, followed by the lovely theme of the final Rondeau.
By February 14, 1778, Mozart composed another »De Jean« quartet, Flute Quartet in G major, K 285a. It consists of only two movements, and the only preserved copy is the one dated 1792. Both movements are written in the same tonality and similar pace, but a more attentive listener will surely indulge in the subtle contrasts of instrumentation and harmonic colour of this delightful two-part piece.
The listing of the Flute Quartet in C major, K Anh. 171 (285b) in the Köchel catalogue is slightly misleading. There was a strong belief that this piece, too, was part of De Jean’s commission (mostly due to Mozart’s letter to his father, where he mentioned »only two concertos and three quartets«). But as time passed, musicologists established that it was most likely written several years later in Vienna. There is no solid proof, as the manuscript had been lost, but the
experts based their thesis on a reliable evidence – the outline of the opening measures of the first movement (Allegro) is written on the same sheet as the aria in his opera The Abduction from the Seraglio (composed in 1781-1782). Another confirmation is found in the fact that the second movement (Andantino), a theme and six variations, is very much connected to his Serenade for winds, K 361. What was the author’s motive to compose yet again (and not just one quartet, but two, including the
Quartet in A major) for the very same ensemble as he did in Mannheim several years before, remains a mystery.
The last time Mozart mentioned the quartets was in the letter to his father (October 3, 1778) written in Nancy, where Mozart made a stop on his return from Paris and where he complained about De Jean for » … putting the scores in the wrong box when leaving Paris, so now they will only be sent when he gets to Mannheim«.
The fourth piece, Flute Quartet in A major, K 298, however, was surely written in Vienna, more precisely in 1786. The evidence (even though the score bears no date) can be found in the music itself, since it is a parody work with themes closely connected with several of Mozart’s friends and fellow composers. The opening Andantino is a set of variations on “An die Natur,” a song by Franz-Anton Hoffmeister, a Viennese publisher and flutist. The second movement – the Menuetto –,
introduces a French folk song Il a des bottes, des bottes, Bastien. And finally, there is the humorously named Rondieauoux with all its contrasts (e.g. “Rondieaoux—Allegretto grazioso, ma non troppo presto, pero non troppo adagio. Così-così—non molto garbo ed espressione” //”A joke rondo—Allegretto grazioso, but not too fast, nor too slow. So-so—with great elegance and expression”). It is clearly a parody of an arietta from Paisiello’s opera buffa Le gare generose, particularly associated
with Nancy Storace, the creator of the role of Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro and another of Mozart’s friends. And the fact that the opera’s Viennese premiere was no earlier than 1786 only confirms the thesis on when K 298 was written.
Considering all this, it can easily be assumed that the Flute Quartet in A major was not meant to be heard by a larger audience; but Mozart’s talent, however, once again overstepped all boundaries, so we can enjoy yet another one of his masterpieces.
Snježana Drevenšek
Translation: Anja Čibej
Matej Grahek - FLUTE
Grahek was born in 1974 in Trbovlje. He is a solo flutist of the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, a professor at the Music conservatory and an assistant professor at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana where he finished his postgraduate studies with Professor Fedja Rupel. He spent two years at the Mozarteum in Salzburg under the wing of the world-famous flutist Irena Grafenauer. He won several first prizes in young musicians’ competitions during his student years, both in Slovenia as well as
the former Yugoslavia, and entered the finals of the international EBU competition in Bratislava in 2001. With his flute quintet ArtVento, he reached the final 8 at the international ARD competition in Munich in 2006.
As a solo flutist, he performs with the Slovenian Philharmonic, Big Band RTV Slovenia as well as numerous chamber music ensembles, both in Slovenia as well as abroad (Austria, Germany, Croatia, Serbia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Spain, Japan and the USA). He records for the Slovenian national TV and radio, Aquarius Records and the German publisher Trio Verlag. He has recorded nine CDs, four of them as solo projects. These include Opus di Jazz, a duet with the pianist Tomaž
Petrač (ZKP 2000), which brought him the best chamber music record award (zlati petelin); in 2003, he released his »Night Birds« album, a solo project featuring the Big Band RTV Slovenia; he recorded the »Tango for flute and piano« composed by Vito Žuraj (2003), Flute Concertos – a solo project with the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra (2005), an album with the Slovenian Philharmonic Wind Trio (DSS, 2007), followed by »… and then turn to the Mountain…«, a duet with the guitarist Tvrtko Sarić
in 2008 (Aquarius Records), “Molly Brailaghan” with ArtVento (Trio Verlag, 2008), Zgodbe /Stories/ by Aleš Rendla (ZKP, 2010), and »Concertino doppio« (Ivo Petrič and the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra) in 2011.
Miran Kolbl - VIOLIN
Miran Kolbl is the leader of the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra and of the Tartini String Quartet. He studied with Prof. Igor Ozim in Cologne, and chamber music with the world famous Amadeus Quartet. He continued his studies in Bern, where he excelled in performing the Brahms Concerto with the Bern Symphony Orchestra.
His solo performances of several orchestral scores, as the concertmaster, earned him numerous outstanding reviews; he even received an invitation by the conductor Hartmut Haenchen to perform as the guest concertmaster in his Dutch Philharmonic Orchestra in Amsterdam. And Kolbl did – twice: in the 1991 opera project of Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman, and in the notorious Concertgebouw with the Alpine Symphony by Richard Strauss.
As a member of the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, he has performed many concert works: Haydn’s Concerto, the first orchestra performance when he was only 14; Mozart’s Concerto in A major (in Klagenfurt, Ljubljana and during the Spanish tour), B flat major and Sinfonia Concertante; Brahms’ D major and Double Concerto in Ljubljana and Belgrade; Tartini’s and Lalo’s pieces in Ljubljana and Trieste, Ajdič in Ljubljana and Moscow, Violin Concerto No. 1 in F sharp minor by Wieniawski, works by
Prokofiev, Sarasate, Lutosławski and Bravničar.
Furthermore, he was the concertmaster of the Slovenian Philharmonic Chamber String Orchestra for ten years and performed works by Bach (Concerto in D minor) Mendelssohn, Vivaldi, Golob and Pleyel, both in Slovenia and Croatia (Vatroslav Lisinski Hall).
When Kolbl was only 17, still a student at the secondary music school in Ljubljana, he was in concert with the RTV Belgrade Orchestra, performing Tchaikovsky; Mozart’s Concerto in G major was a project with Ljubljana’s Radio Orchestra, Bach’s A minor and the completely unknown concert movement in D major with the Slovenicum Orchestra. And together with the Maribor Philharmonic, he performed Mozart – Violin Concerto in A major and Sinfonia Concertante – as well as Prokofiev’s Concerto no. 2 in
G minor.
He toured Spain, Germany, Argentina and Sweden – several times –, with his Tartini String Quartet, and went on stage in Italy, Slovenia, France, Austria, Serbia and Montenegro as well as Croatia.
As the first violin of the Camerata Slovenica, he was a guest in Den Haag, Brussels, Luxembourg, Strasbourg and Geneva. He also won several first prizes in state competitions and in the international Three Lands’ Competition in Farra d’Isonzo.
In 1999, he received the Prešeren Fund award as the Chamber String Orchestra member; a year later, he was bestowed the same award, but for his solo projects, including the performance and recording the Slovenian premiere of Strauss’ Le bourgeois gentilhomme, the performance of the Russian Dance by P. I. Tchaikovsky in England, the Violin Concerto in D minor by F. Mendelssohn and for the premiere of the Violin Concerto by Alojz Ajdič.
He has released five albums: Vivaldi (The Four Seasons), Mendelssohn (D minor), Mozart (B flat major and Sinfonia Concertante), Prokofiev (G minor), Alojz Ajdič and compositions for violin and harp (with Mojca Zlobko Vajgl).
Maja Rome - VIOLA
The violist Maja Rome finished her secondary education in Celje with Professor Kristian Kolman, continued her studies at the Music Academy in Ljubljana with Professor Svava Bernhardsdottir and later with Professor Mile Kosi, finishing with a postgraduate degree. She received many awards at the state competitions for young musicians and is, among other, the 2006 recipient of the Prešeren award by the Academy of Music.
As a soloist, she has performed with the Celje Music School Orchestra, the Celje String Orchestra, the chamber ensemble Gaudeamus, The Slovenian National Theatre Opera and Ballet Ljubljana Orchestra and the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra. She is very much engaged as a chamber music performer, as the viola section leader in the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra as well as a member of the Chamber String Orchestra of the Slovenian Philharmonic.
Igor Skerjanec - CELLO
The cellist Igor Škerjanec was born in 1962 in Ljubljana into a family of musicians. At the age of ten, he began learning cello with his father Ciril Škerjanec. He went on to study in Germany at the Music Academy in Detmold with Professor Andrea Navarra and graduated with honours in 1986. He finished his postgraduate studies and attended master classes with Daniel Shafran and Boris Pergamentchikow in Grožnjan, Sion and Siena, receiving several first prizes in various music students’
competitions. He is a cellist of the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra and has also recorded an album with the ensemble (Haydn, Elgar and Saint-Saëns); he performs as a soloist as well as chamber musician at home and abroad – he travelled most of Europe and North America with the Luwigana Trio. He appeared on stage with numerous orchestras, and his repertoire includes many works by Slovenian composers. He has been the soloist of the Slovenian Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra since 2002 and has
received the Betetto award by the Society of Slovene Music Artists, as well as the Zupančič award by the City of Ljubljana. Starting in 2006, he is now an assistant professor for cello at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana.
TRACKS
Quartet in D major KV 285
1. Allegro 6:56 (listen!)
2. Adagio 2:18
3. Rondeau 4:07
Quartet in G major KV 285a
4. Andante 8:36
5. Tempo di menuetto 3:20
Quartet in C major KV Anh. 171 (258b)
6. Allegro 5:45
7. Andantino 10:35
Quartet in A major KV 298
8. Andantino 5:58
9. Menuetto 2:24
10. Rondeau: Allegro grazioso 2:58
