Ferdinand RIES: Symphony No 1 in D major, Op. 23
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART: Exsultate, jubilate – motet, K. 165
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Luigi CHERUBINI: Overture from “Der Wasserträger”
Louis SPOHR: Symphony No 3 in C minor, Op. 78

Csilla Kovács soprano
Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra

Conductor: Attilio Cremonesi

The second piece in the first half of this concert is the solo motet Exsultate, jubilate, which is today performed by female sopranos. However, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791) composed this exceptionally virtuosic showpiece in January 1773 in Milan for the male soprano Venanzio Rauzzini. An Italian castrato, Rauzzini had sung in the world premiere of Mozart’s opera Lucio Silla just a few weeks earlier. The other three works on the programme are rarities and curiosities of music history. Ferdinand Ries (1784–1838), Beethoven’s pupil, friend and secretary, represents the transition between Viennese Classicism and Romanticism with his compositions. Luigi Cherubini (1760–1842), born in Florence and greatly admired by Beethoven, settled in Paris at the age of 28, so his oeuvre became regarded as part of the history of French music. Louis Spohr (1784–1859), also recognised as a violin virtuoso, built the core of his output around symphonies, concertos and string quartets. His style marks a shift from the Classical idiom towards a programmatic musical philosophy. The soprano soloist for this concert, Csilla Kovács, represents Hungary’s latest generation of singing talent. The conductor for the evening, the Italian Attilio Cremonesi, is a regular guest at top European festivals and opera houses. He specialises in the performance of rarely heard Baroque and Classical compositions.