The evening opens with W. A. Mozart’s overture to the opera The Abduction from the Seraglio. Mozart chose Turkish (or Ottoman) motifs for this opera in line with the fashion of the time, which got reflected in the score. The “Janissary” music is evoked in the overture by the extended percussion section. A different, more melodic and lyrical level of Mozart’s musical language can be found in the Andante for Flute and Orchestra.
Mozart made no secret of his not-so-fervent relationship with the flutes. As a professional, however, he rose above his aversion and composed several minutes of elegant melodies for this instrument, which stand on their own despite the fact that the piece was apparently commissioned as an alternate movement of his Flute Concerto.
A more serious work for this instrument is represented by Poulenc’s Flute Sonata. Poulenc, drawing inspiration from the music by Debussy, among others, created what is to this day a prominent and highly compelling piece, although difficult to perform, that has been considered “the best of Poulenc, and even a little better”.
Poulenc’s playfulness and sense of rhythm are more evident in the lighter Sinfonietta. In some parts of the work he drew on the style of Joseph Haydn.
Program:
The Prague Philharmonia was founded in 1994 on the initiative of the conductor Jiří Bělohlávek (1946-2017) under the original name Prague Chamber Philharmonia. Since the 2015–16 season the orchestra has been led by the French conductor Emmanuel Villaume. Today it is one of the most recognised orchestras, not only among Czech but also world ensembles. Regular invitations to tour abroad as well as recording projects with the most renowned international labels bear testimony to this.
