Mozart Marathon

Brisbane Music Festival has now for years serves as a platform for bringing rarely performed pieces of classical music, musical curations of personal nature, fresh music and world premieres, and a vast array of chamber music experience that is personal both for the artists and for the audience. Well, this year’s festival program (Part 1) features a Mozart sonata marathon. Yes, you read correctly – all 18 sonatas written by the beloved classical composer performed over a period of some 12 hours!

Alex Raineri – the artistic director of BMF – takes on this monumental project in the classical repertoire despite the fact that the festival usually concentrates on more modern and contemporary music. He shares: “This personal project allowed me to experience the sonatas as a set and has given me the pleasure of revealing details normally missed.” He explains that while these iconic sonatas have their special melodies, famous themes, it is in the transparent details of Mozart’s composition that the full pleasure of these sonatas is revealed. A melody in the accompaniment, layered voices, and the conversation between phrases become visible when both the musician and the listener are met with the uninterrupted volume of this piano staple.

With such a large volume of work, curation of the sonatas into suitable mini-collections also presents an interesting challenge. Raineri chooses to avoid chronological presentation, instead thinking about complementing keys and structures. The effervescent quality of Mozart’s music particularly shines in the chamber music setting. As a result, time flies and the 90-minute sessions are fleeting. This is equally a credit to the pianist, who maintains the weightlessness of these compositions and infuses them with a kaleidoscope of colour. It is as if Mozart is flirting with us: a little softer here, a little playfully there, with a big fanfare to surprise the listeners here and then tickle their ears straight after. The music trickles past, sometimes lingering just a touch longer to honey our senses – and then suddenly bolts enticing us to jump up and follow.

This surely is a treat! It is easy to drift off and lose oneself in the sparkle that is Mozart, forgetting the world outside the intimacy of Fourthwall Arts – the home of the festival. This Marathon is a testament to the commitment that Brisbane Music Festival continues to show to daring projects and experiences not-to-be-found elsewhere. We cannot wait for Part 2 of this year’s festival program!