FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN (1732-1809)
Symphony No. 85, “La reine de France” (1785)
It was a composer’s dream come true: a handsome commissioning fee paid by one of the wealthiest Masonic lodges in Paris for six symphonies to be played by an orchestra of 67 musicians and to be performed in the luxury of the Loge Olympique’s Salle de Spectacle. Le tout Paris would attend—including Marie Antoinette. (By contrast, at the estate of his employer, Duke Nicholas Esterházy, Haydn was accustomed to his small band of around two dozen players.) After Haydn became Kapellmeister at Esterháza in 1761 his reputation—particularly as a symphonist—soon spread beyond the borders of Austria-Hungary. In his lifetime he would compose 104! Symphony No. 85 is a cheerful, lively work that incorporates variations on an old French folk tune in its second movement. Queen Marie Antoinette declared this symphony to be her favorite—thereby accounting for its nickname, “The Queen of France.”

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756-1791)
Piano Concerto No. 19, K. 459 (1784)
The stats for Mozart’s output of piano concertos are astonishing: a total of 27, spanning most his lifetime; his first came in 1767 at the age of 11; his last in 1791, the year he died. While in Vienna, he composed 15 piano concertos between 1782 and 1786; six in the year 1784 alone (one in February, two in March, one in April, one in September, and the Concerto No. 19, two weeks before Christmas). Writing to his father Leopold, Mozart described his concerto output for that year: “These concertos are a happy medium between what is too easy and too difficult; they are very brilliant, pleasing to the ear, and natural, without being vapid. There are passages here and there from which connoisseurs alone can derive satisfaction; but these passages are written in such a way that the less learned cannot fail to be pleased, though without knowing why.” When he arrived in the imperial city of Vienna in 1781, he was the toast of the town and acclaimed for his prodigious keyboard technique. It was a common practice of the day for composers to show off their talents and composition at benefit performances—so-called “academies”— they held to raise money for themselves. The Piano Concerto No. 19 was likely premiered at just such an academy. One of Mozart’s personal favorites, this work has a sunny disposition and is charming and elegant at the same time. Listen for the graceful interplay between soloist and orchestra.

FRANZ SCHUBERT (1897-1828)
Symphony No. 4, “Tragic” (1816)
Though best known for his more than 600 songs, Schubert strove to master the symphonic form. The son of a poor schoolmaster, he was fortunate enough to win a place in the choir at Vienna’s imperial Kapelle. In exchange, he enjoyed an excellent education, with particular emphasis on music. Young Schubert got to know Haydn, Mozart, and his idol, Beethoven, by performing their music in a student orchestra. He used his free time to compose and was just 19 when he completed the Symphony No. 4. Many have wondered about the nickname "Tragic" for this work; but the answer is unclear. The symphony is written in a minor key and opens on a serious note, but Schubert's great lyric gift shines through. His tragically short life poses the question: if he could create such beauty at such a young age, what might he have composed had he lived longer? Buried near Beethoven, as he desired, his epitaph reads: "The art of music here entombed a rich possession, but even fairer hopes."

SIR COLIN DAVIS, conductor, born in 1927 in Weybridge, Surrey, England
Even though he was barred from taking conducting lessons at England’s Royal College of Music because he could not play the piano, Sir Colin Davis’s musical career was set on its course when he played clarinet in Berlioz’ L’enfance du Christ at Christ’s Hospital Boys School. He later decided to form the Kalmar Orchestra with fellow students, and often conducted the ensemble. He also played in the band of the Household Cavalry while serving in the army. It was when he substituted for two renowned conductors, Otto Klemperer and Sir Thomas Beecham, that he garnered attention and acclaim. Both substitutions were in Mozart operas: Don Giovanni and The Magic Flute. Thereafter, his conducting credits read like a Who’s Who of the world’s great musical organizations from whom he consistently earned praise. Today Sir Colin Davis is president of the London Symphony Orchestra (in 2009 he celebrated the 50th anniversary of his first concert with that ensemble) and honorary conductor of the Dresden Staatskapelle. Music has been an irreplaceable part of his life: “If you took music away from me I would be lost, because it is a lifeline. I understand life from music.” And perhaps that explains why he wants to share this feeling with audiences through live performances. In recordings “there is tension, but it very seldom approaches the exhilaration of performing before a public…where nobody can stop to correct anything, and you can’t go and listen to what you’ve just done and come back and try to do better; it’s now or never.” In 2008 on the occasion of his 80th birthday, Sir Colin conducted the London Symphony Orchestra in Scottish composer James MacMillan’s St. John Passion, about which the composer said: “My St. John Passion is dedicated to Sir Colin Davis in his 80th birthday year, as a token of my admiration and appreciation for one of this country’s greatest musicians, and for the wonderful music-making he has given us throughout his life.”

“‘When you are as emotional as I, it is simply necessary to use your head.’ That comment applied to this performance. Sir Colin achieved an uncanny balance between wild passion and musicianly control.” The New York Times

“Sir Colin clearly had the Philharmonic players with him in energy and commitment.” The New York Times

“His sanity, humanity, passion and, above all, unswerving commitment to truth are qualities to which every young musician should aspire.” Times Online

Find additional upcoming performances with Sir Colin Davis

Pianist Mitsuko Uchida performs throughout the world and with many different partners. Highlights include her artist-in-residency at The Cleveland Orchestra, where she directed all the Mozart concertos from the keyboard over a number of seasons. She has also been the focus of a Carnegie Hall Perspectives series entitled “Mitsuko Uchida: Vienna Revisited.” She was featured in the Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw Carte Blanche series, where she collaborated with tenor Ian Bostridge, the Hagen Quartet, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, and the Royal Concertgebouw, as well as directing, from the piano, a performance of Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire. This season, Ms. Uchida is artist-inresidence with the Berlin Philharmonic, which will include performances of Schumann’s Piano Concerto with Sir Simon Rattle, and a series of four chamber music concerts. She is also artist-in-residence at the Vienna Konzerthaus and at the Salzburg Mozartwoche.

Ms. Uchida opened the London Symphony Orchestra’s season with Sir Colin Davis. In 2008–09 she also is working with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Mariss Jansons and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and Seiji Ozawa. She tours with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and the Philharmonia Orchestra; plays and directs The Cleveland Orchestra; gives recitals in Carnegie Hall, the Royal Festival Hall, and Vienna’s Konzerthaus; and performs at the Salzburg Festival with cellist Clemens Hagen and violinist Mark Steinberg, and with mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená. Ms. Uchida last appeared with the New York Philharmonic in March 2007, performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 19, and the Piano Concerto No. 10 for two pianos with Radu Lupu, conducted by Sir Colin Davis.