Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-29
NEWS OF MUSIC
BY FRANK C. CAMPBELL

piSEssne hsIpsi s9 l0l The SSIlIlps
K. IA: B fiat major, X. IS; e fiat
major, & IS; 5 major major. (. %; +
major. x. 80; B nat major, K. 81
Late in 1854 Leopold Mozart
wrote from London to a friend
in Salzburg: Since the begin
ming of July ! have spent over
ITO guineas. In addition l have
the heavy expense of having six
Sonatas of our Master Wolfgang
engraved and printed which cat
her own request) are being dedi-
Gated to the Queen of Great
Britain"
/ Later the Queens gratitude
produced so guineas for the
EFFORT
Early in 1866 Leopold wrote
from the Netherlands that Wolf
gang was asked to turn out six
sonatas for the clavier with vio-
lin accompaniment, for the
Princes sister. Princess Won Mas
sau- Weilburg.
Thus was the business side of
the Mozart family'S secon d
famous concert tour through
Europe. undertaken when Mozart
was in his eighth and ninth
years. There were times of great
success before crowned heads
and an adoring public, but
father Leopold was constantly
plagued with sickness and with
making ends meet.
Wolfgang and Nannerl played
concerts almost literally for their
suppers. The young composer
turned out a long string of
SonataS, variations. arias. can
tataS and almost any other
musical product called for on
the occasions when his father
sensed an opportunity for a good
investment in royal purse and
favor.
Genius Miniatures
Last nights concert by harpsi-
chordist Richard Dirksen and
violiniSt Werner Lywen, the
second in the current Philips
Gallery series, included the last
two of those written for Eng
lands Queen Charlotte as well as
the entire group of six written
for Princess Karoline, sister of
William of Orange.
1t is not the whole story to say
that, as one listens to these
pieces chronologically, there are
signs of a development of talent.
This is clearly evident. But, more
than that, there are moments
and whole movements that are
revelations of full-fledged genius.
however modest its pretenSions
in these miniatures.
The last two of the London
sonatas are somewhat elaborate
and initiative of the elegant
Baroque style. The Andante
maestoso of K. Is is at once
possibly the most typical and
the most original, for its rocco
figurations are far from the
stereotype that could plague the
writing.
One must disagree with one
Mozart biographer about the
Dutch sonatas when he COM
plains of their content. in COM
parison with the earlier pieces.
as being of less import and of
an "improvised" character. They
are shorter. but they are COM
pact and Mozart seems to emerge
more clearly as musical figure
in his own right.
Best of the Set
On first hearing, the best of
the set seem to be the first and
last pairs. The finest move
ments include the grave and
affectingly chromatic Adagio of
K. 26; of K. 81 the Andante
POGO Adagio, in which the in
terplay of complex cross rhythms
produces music of masterfully
supple texture; of K. 80 the
Rondo-M with its enigma
of combined grace and serious
ness; of K. 81 the Allegro, a
veritable rout Of brilliance and
! verve.
Quite aside from Dirksen's and
Lywen's accomplished playing
and polished ensemble, on reflec-
ton was struck by what could
be only described as their pre-
occupation with the music. The
style Of their performance
seemed invariably to have taken
its cue so entirely from the ma
tlre of the music and to be-
come a part Of 1t so thoroughly
that one forgot to pay attention
to them as one would have been
forced to do with players acting
as virtuosos.