Concert Review: January 23 Mozart, Mozart, Mozart Concert at Popejoy Hall
This review appeared in the March 2016 Albuquerque Journal. Reprinted with kind permission.
by D.S. Crafts
It’s always rewarding to see one of our own stepping into the spotlight. First chair oboist, Kevin Vigneau, was the concerto soloist as part of an all-Mozart program of the New Mexico Philharmonic at Popejoy Hall led by Grant Cooper. The Artistic Director of the West Virginia Symphony and of the Bach and Beyond Festival, Cooper is always a welcome guest with the Philharmonic, making his eighth appearance last Saturday night.
Last time here he provided us with his own Akademedie 1824, an exploration of that musical year. This time he brought another historical curiosity, Mozart’s Symphony No. 1, written at the age of eight. Indications are this may not have been the first symphony he wrote, but it is the first that has survived. While simple, often repetitive, it is never naïve, and in its three movements reflects the new emerging style of the period exemplified by J.C. Bach. A bright and attractive opening Allegro molto even takes a dramatic turn into minor in the middle section. What is particularly impressive is that the young composer never takes on more than he can handle, a classic fault of novices.
Mozart’s Oboe Concerto was for many years presumed lost, until it was discovered that his Flute Concerto was an arrangement of the earlier oboe work. The gentle grace and simple style have long made it a favorite of both players and audiences. The opening Allegro aperto, cheerful and bright, immediately showcased Vigneau’s engaging tone, simultaneously sweet and tangy like a fine English lemon marmalade. Breath control was superb throughout especially in the beautifully sculpted solo cadenzas. The slow movement beamed with an eloquence of phrasing and spectrum of colors. The Rondo sparkled with musical effervescence and optimistic charisma, culminating in a well-deserved standing ovation.
Cooper returned after the break to lead a somewhat larger ensemble in the Symphony No. 36 in C, the “Linz” Symphony, so called for the city in which it was written. Composed in haste mid-journey from Vienna to Salzburg, it is still one of the most masterly composed of all symphonies. The rambunctious rhythms of the opening movement were full of wit and high spirits, something Mozart shared with Haydn in abundance. The dialogue between winds and strings was dynamic and conversational. In the beautiful Andante one could hear traces of what we call in retrospect Rococo, Classical and even foreshadowings of Romantic style, Cooper seamlessly balancing the unexpected changes. The Menuetto was stately with just a touch of humor.
Cooper’s handling of the work made it sound as though belonging to Mozart’s final trilogy of symphonies, noble and profound. The short development sections actually add great weight to the sense of architecture. In the Finale-Presto, Cooper’s well-controlled dynamic shadings, beginning gently and leading to a culminating explosion, were designed to produce maximum dramatic effect.
