Experience the music of Mozart in a whole new way! On Saturday, November 2nd, 7:30 p.m., at Lansdale’s Calvary Baptist Church the Southeastern Pennsylvania Symphony Orchestra weaves turbulence and passion with Mozart’s instantly recognizable Symphony No. 40. The concert also features Mozart’s Overture to La Clemenza di Tito, and the beginning and boldness of a new musical era – Beethoven’s First Symphony – and all by candlelight.
Last season this concert sold out, so advance ticket purchases are encouraged.
“No other composer has mastered every musical form as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart did, and done so with such ease,” explains Music Director Allan R. Scott. “For him, it seemed to be a nuisance to transcribe his musical thoughts onto paper. Mozart would develop and achieve perfection in his imagination before his hand ever began to write. Whereas most composers, even the great Beethoven, would go through countless drafts and revisions before completing a work, Mozart’s first draft was his final draft.”
As a child prodigy, Mozart was immediately recognized as an unprecedented musical genius. Under his father’s tutelage, the young Mozart became a virtuoso performer on the keyboard and violin. By the age of eight, he had composed his first symphony and had toured most of Europe, performing for dignitaries, royalty, and prominent composers of the day, who were simply awed by the youth’s abilities and musical imagination.
Under pressure to produce the opera quickly, Mozart composed his opera La Clemenza di Tito in less than three weeks, and often in carriages and inns on the way to Prague. This was very quick even for Mozart! The Overture nicely sets up the drama that is about to ensure, complete with Bach-like counterpoint and Romantic-era colors. By the time Mozart composed his Symphony No. 40, his compositional powers were far greater than his youthful attempts. Today, the Symphony No. 40th remains one of the most popular works in all symphonic music.
The Mozart By Candlelight concert culminates with Beethoven’s First Symphony. Despite the undeniable influence or even imitation of Beethoven’s predecessors, his Symphony No. 1 has a convincing originality and youthful vitality. The work seems to bid farewell to the musical politeness of the 18th century and launches into the 19th century, preparing for a century of Romanticism. “This is the first nine legendary and music-altering symphonies,” says Music Director Allan R. Scott. “Experiencing artistic greatness can be life changing.”
Calvary Baptist Church is an excellent venue for music. From the accessibility of the venue and generous parking to the incredible acoustics and large seating area, Calvary Baptist Church makes for one of the finest performance venues in the region.
Tickets for Mozart by Candlelight along with other concerts are on sale now at spsorchestra.org. Calvary Baptist Church is located at 1380 S. Valley Forge Road, Lansdale, PA. Details about the upcoming Season are below.
For more information about SPSO, please follow us on Facebook or visit spsorchestra.org.
Members of the Board of Directors, Staff, Maestro Scott, or guest artists are available for interviews about the upcoming season or the move to Calvary Baptist Church by contacting us at 267.328.4493.
2024-2025 Season
MASTERWORKS CONCERT I:
Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue at 100!
Saturday, 28 September 2024, 7:30 p.m.
Season 53 opens with an evening of music by American icon George Gershwin, including music from Porgy & Bess, An American in Paris, and the celebrated, jazz-inspired Rhapsody in Blue for its 100th anniversary featuring internationally noted Pianist Carl Cranmer.
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MASTERWORKS CONCERT II:
Mozart By Candlelight
Saturday, 2 November 2024, 7:30 p.m.
Experience the music of Mozart in a whole new way.
Weaving turbulence and passion, Mozart’s instantly recognizable Symphony No. 40 is coupled with his Overture to La Clemenza di Tito, and the beginning and boldness of a new musical era – Beethoven’s First Symphony –
and all by candlelight. This concert sells out!
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MASTERWORKS CONCERT III:
All Seeing Sky
Saturday, 15 February 2025, 7:30 p.m.
The performance opens with Wagner’s jubilant Prelude to Act III of Lohengrin with brass blazing and strings to capture the medieval tale of chivalry and betrayal. Then SPSO presents one of the first performances of New Zealand Composer John Psathas’ All Seeing Sky, an evocative work for two percussionist soloists and orchestra, featuring world acclaimed percussionists Lynn Vartan and Weichen Lin. Dvořák’s emotionally profound Seventh Symphony concludes the concert as a personal reflection on grief and joy.
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MASTERWORKS CONCERT IV:
The Firebird & Harry Potter
Saturday, 10 May 2025, 7:30 p.m.
Be transported to a world of enchantment, imagination, and wonder with the timeless of allure of Stravinsky’s Firebird and a musical journey from the films of Harry Potter.
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CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT SERIES
Chamber Music Concert 1
Mozart & Beethoven
Sunday, 13 October 2024, 3:00 p.m.
Chamber Music Concert 2
Wind Quintet Plays American Music
Sunday, 19 January 2025, 3:00 p.m.
(snow date: Sunday, 26 January 2025)
Chamber Music Concert 3
Brass Bash!!!!
Sunday, 9 March 2025, 3:00 p.m.
Chamber Music Concert 4
Three Cellos Play Tangos, Bach, & Carmen
Sunday, 6 April 2025, 3:00 p.m.
Email SPSO at [email protected]
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www.spsorchetra.org
All performances are at:
Calvary Baptist Church
1380 S. Valley Forge Road
Lansdale, PA
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