Past Meets Present
February 6, 2027, 7:30 pm at the Belle Mehus Auditorium
Internationally celebrated organist and pedagogue Joel Bacon makes his BMSO debut with a concerto of Moazrt. This concert of familiar, well-loved classics will also feature Mozart's Symphony No. 39. To be followed by a February 7th organ recital by Dr. Bacon at the University of Mary. Admission to the recital is free.
Tickets for the concert can be purchased here, or in person at the Event Center Box Office to avoid convenience fees.
Program
Serenade No. 13 in G Major, K. 525...........W.A. Mozart (1756-1791)
I. Allegro
Symphony No. 39 in E flat Major, K. 543...............Mozart
I. Adagio, Alla breve
Ii. Andante con moto
III. Menuetto: Allegretto
IV. Finale: Allegro
INTERMISSION
Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor, K. 466....................Mozart
I. Allegro
II. Romance
III. Allegro assai
Dr. Joel Bacon, piano
Program Notes
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart — Symphony No. 39 in E-flat Major, K. 543
Mozart composed his Symphony No. 39 in E-flat major in June 1788, during one of the most remarkable bursts of creativity in music history. In the space of just a few weeks, he completed his final three symphonies—Nos. 39, 40, and 41. The Symphony No. 39 opens with a majestic slow introduction, followed by an energetic Allegro, creating a striking combination of grandeur and vitality. Its orchestration is notable for its warm, rich sound, including clarinets, which Mozart used with particular brilliance.
The symphony balances elegance with considerable musical sophistication. The second movement unfolds with lyrical beauty, while the Minuet is stately and vigorous, contrasted by a graceful Trio. The finale is a brilliant display of Mozart’s mastery of musical conversation: themes dart between sections of the orchestra, creating a sense of perpetual motion and playful discovery. Despite the symphony’s refinement, there is an underlying energy that keeps the music alive from beginning to end—a perfect example of Mozart transforming formal Classical elegance into something deeply expressive and exhilarating.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart — Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor, K. 466
Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20, composed in 1785, stands apart from many of his lighter and more cheerful concertos. Written in the dark key of D minor, it is filled with drama, urgency, and emotional intensity. Mozart himself was the soloist at its premiere, and the concerto quickly became one of his most admired works. It was also a favorite of later composers, including Beethoven, who greatly admired Mozart’s music and even wrote cadenzas for this concerto.
From its ominous opening, the orchestra establishes an atmosphere of tension that continues throughout the first movement. The piano enters not as a detached soloist but as an equal dramatic participant in the musical conversation. The slow movement provides a moment of extraordinary tenderness, with lyrical melodies that seem to offer a glimpse of light after the turbulence of the first movement. The finale returns to D minor and its restless energy, but ultimately breaks free into a triumphant D major conclusion. The concerto reveals Mozart at his most dramatic, passionate, and emotionally complex.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart — Serenade in G Major, K. 525, “Eine kleine Nachtmusik”
Mozart’s Eine kleine Nachtmusik (“A Little Night Music”) is perhaps his most recognizable instrumental work. Composed in Vienna in 1787, it was originally written for a small ensemble of strings. The title comes from Mozart’s own catalog of his compositions and simply means “a little serenade”—a fitting description of music that is elegant, lively, and immediately appealing. Although the circumstances of its first performance are unknown, the work has become one of Mozart’s most beloved compositions.
The opening movement bursts to life with a bright, energetic theme that seems almost to smile at the listener. The second movement offers a graceful contrast, while the minuet and trio brings the refined dance rhythms of Mozart’s era into the concert hall. The finale returns to the sparkling energy of the opening, propelled by rapid scales, crisp rhythms, and wonderfully balanced musical phrases. Beneath its apparent simplicity is Mozart’s extraordinary ability to make every note sound inevitable.