The Mozarts, The Haydns & The Bear

If, to update Wordsworth, the child is father/mother of the man/woman, to what extent are your mature tastes shaped by your earliest musical memories? Following on from last year’s Creation, Roland Peelman leads the full Australian Haydn Ensemble in a delightful concert that explores the idea, admittedly using an outlier, namely Wolfgang Mozart, as a test case. Childish things abound, including a 9-year-old’s first attempt at Italian opera, a novelty classic by his proud dad, and yes, there’s even a Bear in there.

In England and Europe, operatic divas lined up to request impossibly advanced arias from the young Mozart. Here, the radiant voices of Jacqueline Porter and Andrew Goodwin deliver some rare and beautiful examples from those tender years, including Il re pastore, one of the eight entire operas he composed between the ages of 11 and 17.

Joseph Haydn’s younger brother Michael was an uncle-figure, mentor and lifelong friend to Mozart. He was rather too fond of a drink, and Wolfgang occasionally finished overdue commissions for him on the quiet, but the charmingly bucolic operatic overture programmed here is all his own work.

The better-known-Haydn’s Symphony No.82, (L’ours or The Bear) is celebrated for its fun, bagpipey dancing bear finale.  Any concert featuring Leopold’s Toy Symphony is on for young and old, so bring your kids and grandkids for a lighthearted and joyous experience.

“This was my first encounter with the Australian Haydn Ensemble and what a thrill – glorious individual and ensemble playing all night.”

ClassikON

• Program

  J.C. Bach

  Symphony in G minor Op. 6 No. 6

  Mozart

  Selected arias including: ‘Va dal furor portata’ ‘Clarice cara mia sposa’
  ‘Voi avete un cor fedele’
  ‘Misero! O sogno … Aura che intorno spiri’ 
  ‘L'amerò, sarò costante’ from Il Re Pastore

  Michael Haydn

  Overture to Die Hochzeit auf der Alm (The Wedding on the Alp)

  Leopold Mozart

  Cassation for Toys, 2 oboes, 2 horns, strings & continuo in G major (Toy Symphony)

  Haydn

  Symphony No. 82 in C major (The Bear)

• Artists

  Roland Peelman

  Guest Conductor

  Skye McIntosh

  Lead Violin

  Andrew Goodwin

  Tenor

  Jacqueline Porter

  Soprano

  The Australian Haydn Ensemble