Dakota Beacon

Tomorrow the entire civilized world will celebrate the life and genius of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, amazing child prodigy who grew up to fulfill his destiny as perhaps the world’s most perfect composer, very much, however, a product of his time and place - the Vienna of the Enlightenment.   Mozart was born in Salzburg, to a father who himself was a renowned composer, Leopold Mozart, on January 27, 1756. He died too young, at age 35, on December 5, 1791. (His lifespan was nearly parallel to that of our genius poet spotlighted yesterday, Robert Burns.) Like Burns, Mozart became a Mason.  Like Burns, he struggled, albeit in a more sparkling environment, to earn his living by his genius.  

Here is a lovely little bio of this genius:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dau-mKCGKXI

Most of us already have heard so much about Mozart that I will devote the rest of this column to some magnificent performances by the world’s great musicians of his delightful, dramatic, varied and inspiring works.  He gave us some of our most beautiful music.

K. 299 - The Flute and Harp Concerto (with some fascinating notes on performing the music and concluding with a breathtakingly beautiful conversation between flute and harp)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMfmcODMvmA

“Le Nozze di Figaro” Sextet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7GBmSXPGIQ

“Le Nozze di Figaro” - “Non più andrai, farfallone amoroso”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKBGRO-GYYo

K. 626 - Requiem in D Minor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp2SJN4UiE4

“Don Giovanni” “Highlights” (makes me think of Mel Brooks’ “Highlights from Hamlet”!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPSSlUIuLEg

“The Magic Flute” “Highlights” (hope you are ready for something a little bit psychedelic?)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuOXUosFNQ4

K. 525 - “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” (This could be a relief visually!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNRQ-DW7064

K. 216 - Violin Concerto No. 3 in G Major

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX4cYb3fw1Y

K. 622 - Clarinet Concerto in A Major

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX4cYb3fw1Y

K. 467 - Piano Concerto in C Major

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gmib4xj2qNk

K. 552 - Symphony No. 41 in C (“Jupiter”)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6EOb86YdIs

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