Mozart Evening — Classics without a conductor | Breit | Kokoszewski | Symphony Orchestra

Performers: Sebastian Breit — oboe

Krzysztof Kokoszewski — concertmaster

Silesian Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra

Program: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart — overture to the opera The Marriage of Figaro

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart — Oboe Concerto in C major

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart — Symphony No. 40 in G minor

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's music performed without a conductor, with a concertmaster leading the orchestra from the violin deck and a soloist associated with the Vienna Philharmonic on a daily basis — such an evening can only be created by ensembles of the highest musical class and mutual trust.

Krzysztof Kokoszewski — concertmaster of the Silesian Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra — will conduct the concert in accordance with the tradition of 18th century music-making, in which the orchestra plays without the participation of a conductor. This manner of performance allows for exceptional freedom of musical dialogue, greater interpretive flexibility and close contact between instrumentalists.

The soloist of the evening will be Sebastian Breit — the first oboist of the Vienna Philharmonic and Wiener Staatsoper, who took up the position at just 24 years old. Breit specializes in playing the unique Viennese oboe — an instrument with a distinctive, noble sound, linked to the performance tradition of music from Mozart to Mahler. He is also the first oboist of the Vienna Philharmonic to record a solo album dedicated to the repertoire of the Viennese oboe, and critics emphasize his exceptional musicality, naturalness of phrasing and elegance of sound.

In the performance of Sebastian Breit we will hear the Oboe Concerto in C major — one of the most beautiful and important works in the Oboe repertoire. Mozart wrote a concerto in 1777 for oboist Giuseppe Ferlendis, creating a piece full of singleness, elegance and classical balance. Particularly captivating is the second part — the lyrical Adagio non troppo — in which the oboe leads an extremely subtle, almost vocal narration.

The overture to the opera The Marriage of Figaro is one of Mozart's most brilliant and energetic compositions. Although it lasts only a few minutes and does not use themes from the opera itself, it perfectly introduces the atmosphere of stage intrigue, incessant movement and emotional tension. But there is much more to Mozart's apparent lightness and comedic charm: Mozart builds music full of nervous energy, violent accents and dynamic contrasts that subtly foreshadow the conflicts and social tensions present in the opera. The work develops at a dizzying pace and, as Mozart wrote, “it can never be too fast.”

Symphony No. 40 in G minor is one of Mozart's most moving and personal works. It was composed in the summer of 1788 and from the beginning was distinguished by a unique character - emotional tension, melancholy and drama, which clearly distinguish it from most of the composer's earlier symphonies. Already contemporaries perceived it as an extraordinary work, and later generations saw in it a harbinger of romantic expression.

Mozart builds music here based on constant inner movement and emotional anxiety. The first part begins with a quiet, almost restless theme, which gradually leads to strong tensions and dramatic climaxes. Characteristic are sharp dynamic contrasts, intermittent rhythms and a constant sense of uncertainty, hidden under the classical clarity of form.

A special place is occupied by the Minuet - far from light ballroom dance. Mozart gave it a raw, almost dramatic character, full of tension and weight of sound. On the other hand, the final of the symphony, despite its energy and mobility, does not bring complete calm — the music retains restlessness until the last bars.

Today the Symphony in G minor remains one of the most outstanding examples of Mozart's genius — a work in which under the surface of perfect form hides strong emotions, drama and extraordinary modernity of musical language.

CONCERT INFORMANT