Punch Howarth
Opening with a very light Suppe’ Overture followed by a short compact Mozart concerto, the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra will close the current concert and season with a six-part Mozart Mass with soloists and chorus. Conductor Linus Lerner will lead this interesting program with soloist Adolfo Alejo performing the Mozart Violin Concerto No. 5 in A Major “the Turkish” and also four soloists and SASO Chorus in his Coronation Mass.
Franz von Suppe’s Overture Die Schone Galathea will open the concert. The beautiful Galathea Overture, in 5 parts, opens the operetta, a musical form just established by Jacques Offenbach. The work features themes from the operetta and starts with a rambunctious full orchestra followed by two slower-softer themes. Part four is a gallop with a broad waltz as the final theme. A short coda ends the work with repeated short punctuations for an abrupt ending.
The three movement Mozart concerto has a home key of A Major in movements one and three and the dominant E Major in movement two. The orchestration calls for a reduced orchestra. Movement one is in ABA form marked Allegro aperto-adagio-Allegro aperto where aperto means majestic. The B theme is unusual as the solo violin plays a dolce “sweet” slow passage. A switch to the key of E Major in the middle movement makes for good contrast. In movement three the marking is Rondeau-Tempo di minuetto, a moderate 3/4 dance rhythm, is a typical Classical form used by Mozart and Haydn. In the middle there is a switch from 3/4 to 2/4 time and a new key of A minor introducing the “Turkish” theme followed by an ending back in the home key.
After intermission Mozart’s Kronungsmesse Coronation Mass No. 15 in C Major of 1779 will feature SATB soloists with the SASO Chorus. Scoring for orchestra calls for oboes, horns and trumpets in pairs; three trombones, timpani, strings and organ or bassoon. The six-part work is a missa brevis, a short or ordinary mass. The sections are 1. Kyrie 2, Gloria, 3. Credo, 4. Sanctus, 5. Benedictus, 6. Angus Dei.
All of the SASO family hope you have enjoyed the current season programs and this summer this writer will preview next season’s anniversary celebration concerts.
This last concert will be performed at SaddleBrooke on Saturday, April 6 at the DesertView Performing Arts Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. and in Oro Valley at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, April 7.
For concert details, tickets, membership and next season go to www.sasomusic.org.