BSO: Clarinet Bliss

Mozart wrote his only concerto for clarinet in the space of about ten days, when he was at the height of his powers, and only two months before his tragically early death. It is a glorious work: the first great concerto for the instrument, and some would say still the greatest, which displays the range and agility of the clarinet as well as its velvety and soulful qualities. Mendelssohn’s Fourth Symphony is extroverted from the outset, conjuring up the sunny skies and landscapes of the Italian countryside in a virtually flawless assembly of airy and fiery dances, never letting the excitement lapse for a moment. Truly Italian, Rossini’s youthful sonata is a joyous and overtly dramatic example of the Italian tradition of instrumental belcanto with its rapid flourishes, whilst Mascagni’s passionate intermezzo never fails to pull at the heart strings.