| Summary: | "I myself consider it to be the best thing I have written in my life," wrote Mozart to his father in 1784--in reference not to a symphony, opera, or concerto, but to the Quintet for Piano and Winds in E-flat Major. Later, a 26-year-old Beethoven was inspired by the work to compose his own quintet for the same instruments and in the same key. These two works, which complement each other beautifully, have a decidedly theatrical aspect that is not lost for a moment on the musicians of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, who turn them into showcases for their playful virtuosity! At the heart of the program, Mozart and Beethoven make way for Erwin Schulhoff, noted Czech composer and pianist encouraged in his pursuits from a young age by Antonín Dvořák himself, and later one of the earliest composers to take a serious interest in jazz as a form of art. His Divertissement perfectly fills the role of interlude, adding a cheeky dadaist touch to this quintessentially Classical evening.
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