MOZART AS HARLEQUIN
May 1, 2024 | Bohemian National Hall
Michael Stephen Brown, piano
Adam Golka, piano
Illustrated talk by Jan Swafford
Mozart
Sonata for piano four hands in D major, K381
Larghetto and Allegro for two pianos in E flat major, Kdeest
Fugue for two pianos in C minor, K426
Minuet in D major, K355
Kleine Gigue in G major, K574
Sonata for two pianos in D major, K448
Photographs by Alex Fedorov © 2023
It is not surprising that Mozart’s favorite costume for parties was that of the wily, nimble, amorous commedia dell’arte character Harlequin, who reflected much of the composer’s own personality. Our concert explores Mozart’s wit, both in his music and in the rest of his life. The program will include the D major Sonata for piano four hands, whose moods range from poignancy to slapstick humor; some of Mozart’s hilarious and bawdy canons; and excerpts from the notoriously crude letters he wrote to a girlfriend. As man and artist, Mozart was devoted to joie de vivre, and the concert will paint a portrait of him at his most high-spirited.