ASO at UKARIA Program

Program

W. A. Mozart Serenade No.10, ‘Gran Partita’ [43′]
I. Largo – Allegro molto
Menuetto – Trio I – Trio II
III. Adagio
IV. Menuetto: Allegretto
V. Romanze: Adagio – Allegretto – Adagio
VI. Theme and Variations
VII. Finale: Molto Allegro

– INTERVAL –

Wagner Siegfried Idyll [18′]

Richard Strauss arr. Brett Dean Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks [18′]

Program Note

Is Mozart’s ‘Gran Partita’ background music? Its timeline may suggest so. In the 1780s, everyone wanted one of Mozart’s serenades to be played at their weddings, presented to friends in their salons, or filling the rose-scented air of their garden parties.  

Because we don’t know precisely when or why Mozart’s Serenade No.10 was composed, many musicologists have placed it within this context: a chamber work for instruments that could project their music through the great outdoors, over chatter and cheer. But some people see a different side to the story. Considering one of its earliest known performances was in the Burgtheater in Vienna, 1784, we may understand ‘Gran Partita’ to have been a serious work that yielded rave reviews. The music was “glorious and grand, excellent and sublime” as the critics remarked. Within this context, Mozart’s serenade fades not into the background, but holds its own as a piece of concert music worthy of performance by the most famous musicians of the day – including clarinettist Anton Stadler, Mozart’s friend and fellow Freemason.  

Whether ‘Gran Partita’ was written for a garden party or concert hall, it survives because today’s audiences enjoy hearing the music played in all types of venues. And it remains just as sublime as originally reported. From the opening chords, we hear woodwinds merge together as though they have become one spectacular instrument. Slowly (largo) do their parts divide, encouraging us to appreciate each instrument’s sonority and ability to complement the surrounding sounds. With every crescendo, the ‘Gran Partita’ sounds as full as any larger ensemble that might boast the inclusion of strings or brass. Nothing is lacking in presence, and Mozart’s earworms are in abundance.  

Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll brings textural contrast to our program as we hear strings introduced to the UKARIA stage. But as with Mozart’s serenade, this work also highlights the beauty of the woodwind family. Oboe, flute, and clarinet mimic the prettiest of birdsongs. Strings support them with gentle trills, fluttering like wings. Although Wagner’s dolce (sweet) score does hold moments of tension typical to the composer, they resolve peacefully.   

Siegfried Idyll is not one of Wagner’s usual dramas about love united in death. Instead, it was composed to celebrate the joys of life. He wrote it for his wife Cosima on her birthday, December 24, and it premiered in their home the next morning. It brought her tears of happiness. In addition to these festivities of 1870, Siegfried Idyll was also intended as a tribute to their new son, Siegfried.  

Last on the program is Australian composer Brett Dean’s arrangement of a comical work from Strauss. Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks is, like the Wagner, a tone poem – meaning it was inspired by a story or piece of art that exists beyond music. Strauss’ 1895 piece, which drips with irony from its earliest notes, is based on the medieval folk character of its namesake. In this musical retelling, Till is a prankster-fool who dresses up like a priest, rides horseback through a busy market, and sweet-talks the ladies he meets on his way. But soon, the nimble winds and rambunctious horn make way for something more sinister: the music takes a dark and militaristic turn, informing us that Till has been captured for his antics and is sentenced to death!  

A true tragicomedy, we hear Till’s outbursts as he marches in protest to the scaffold. But after he dies, Strauss brings back his frivolous theme; Till has returned to the stage for a final grin and bow. The work premiered in Cologne, 1895, and Dean crafted this arrangement precisely 100 years later. 

– Stephanie Eslake, 2025

Artists

Adelaide Symphony Orchestra

The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and UKARIA honours our First Nations by fostering a shared sense of respect for this land, and we acknowledge and pay our respects to the Peramangk, traditional custodians of the land on which the Cultural Centre stands.