Listening Log Page 36

Vienna

Emperor Joseph and his wind band

🎼Mozart Serenade No 10 in B flat Major K361 “Gran Partita”

This piece is scored for 12 wind instruments and a double bass. However the double bass is sometimes replaced by a contrabassoon. Listening to this piece I can imagine it being played in a grand royal palace either to a seated audience or maybe to a crowd gathered for dancing. I thought this piece was rather too long in length and I didn’t enjoy it towards the end losing interest.

🎼Krommer – Partita in E Flat op no 1

Very different from the Mozart “Gran Partita” as it does not sound as if it could be danced to, a more performance based piece I think. Scored for 8 wind instruments I do actually prefer this to the previous piece. To me I can hear the repetitions more and found it much more enjoyable as a whole and definitely more than the Gran Partita.

🎼Mozart – Harmoniemusik zu Le Nozze Di Figaro

I really liked this arrangement of the music. I have heard some of the opera and as it deals with the major themes I can hear a “Call and Answer” in the music that is played. If you know the opera inside out then you will probably understand what part of the opera it is. This was a lovely way of introducing people to operatic themes outside of the opera house, and maybe people wanted to hear the opera itself after hearing this. I found it very pleasing to listen to.