Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3 and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7

Program:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791):
Symphony No. 36 in C major “Linz”, K. 425 (1783)
– Adagio – Allegro spiritoso
– Andante
– Menuetto
– Presto

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791):
Violin Concerto No. 3 in G major, K. 216 (1775)
– Allegro
– Adagio
– Rondeau: Allegro

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827):
Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92 (1811–1812)
– Poco sostenuto – Vivace
– Allegretto
– Presto – Assai meno presto
– Allegro con brio

In 1783, Mozart and his wife Constanze were returning to Vienna after an ill-fated visit to his stern and overbearing father in Salzburg. Hoping to mend their strained relationship and prove the merit of their “irresponsible and hasty union,” Mozart’s charm offensive failed spectacularly. During a stop in Linz, he was astonished to find a symphony concert featuring his work already advertised—scheduled for just four days later. Without any scores on hand, Mozart composed the now-famous “Linz” Symphony in record time. The persistent rhythmic motifs in the first movement, the exotic, Eastern-inspired character of the woodwinds’ colourful phrases, and the fiery torrents of notes in the finale reveal clear influences from Mozart’s opera Die Entführung aus dem Serail. Yet, it remains awe-inspiring that Mozart could create a symphony of such brilliance under such pressure.

Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3 also draws inspiration from opera, specifically Il re pastore, which premiered in 1775—the same year Mozart, at just 19 years old, composed all five of his violin concertos before moving on to other genres. The concerto’s second movement is particularly striking, with its delicate accompaniment of muted strings providing a luminous backdrop for Biondi’s radiant violin tone, which will dazzle as it leads to the breathtakingly beautiful solo cadenza.

After the intermission, Beethoven’s enigmatic Symphony No. 7 takes centre stage, with each movement delving into its own unique rhythmic identity. Beethoven’s almost obsessive exploration of rhythm imbues the symphony with a dynamic energy that feels surprisingly modern, evoking the driving pulse of folk music, rock, or even house music. The Allegretto movement, in particular, captivated audiences at its 1813 premiere so profoundly that it was encored before the performance could continue. Hauntingly beautiful and deeply expressive, this movement remains one of Beethoven’s most beloved and enduring masterpieces.

Since her breakthrough performance in Tivoli in 2022—when she wowed the audience with her spirited interpretation of The Four Seasons, performing as both soloist and conductor—Alexandra Conunova has celebrated major international triumphs. She has appeared with leading orchestras such as the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris and NDR Radiophilharmonie, and she is consistently praised for her warm tone and crystalline technique. Conunova first rose to prominence as a prize winner in both the XV International Tchaikovsky Competition and the Joseph Joachim Violin Competition. She now performs regularly as both soloist and conductor at many of the world’s foremost music festivals, including the Verbier Festival, Montreux Septembre Musical, BBC Proms in London, Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome and many others.

Valentin Uryupin is a versatile conductor, equally at home in the symphonic repertoire and the world of opera, where he has enjoyed great success in recent years—not least at the prestigious Bregenz Festival. Originally trained as a clarinettist, he won 20 international competitions as a soloist before turning to conducting, going on to win the 8th Sir Georg Solti International Conducting Competition in 2017. During his tenure as Chief Conductor of the Novaya Opera in Moscow, he collaborated with leading artists such as Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Lars Vogt, Bryn Terfel, Barbara Hannigan, Nikolai Lugansky and Marc-André Hamelin. He was later forced to resign from the position due to his outspoken public stance on the invasion of Ukraine.