$72-$112
$29
Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater
Thursday
6:00 PM
THE SAINT PAUL CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
Anne-Marie McDermott, piano
Joshua Bell, violin
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 9 in E-flat major, K.271, Jenamy
MOZART Symphony No. 38 in D major, K. 504, Prague
MOZART Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major, K. 219, Turkish
MOZART: Concerto for Piano No. 9 in E-flat major, K. 271, "Jenamy"
MOZART: Symphony No. 38 in D Major, K. 504, “Prague”
MOZART: Violin Concerto No. 5 in A Major, K. 219 “Turkish”
MOZART: Concerto for Piano No. 9 in E-flat major, K. 271, "Jenamy"
Piano Concerto No. 9 in E-flat major, K.271, Jenamy (1777)
When Mozart wrote his Piano Concerto in E-flat major (K.271), in January 1777, he was just turning 21, but he was already capable of producing a miracle. It is more memorable than the eight Mozart piano concertos that preceded it, thanks to the appeal of its challenging solo part and imaginative wind writing and the way it imposes bold experimentation on accepted practice.
It opens with a surprise. Most Classical concertos began with a stretch of material presented by the orchestra before the soloist entered. Here, however, the piano shares in the opening phrase of the work, providing a response to the orchestra’s introductory fanfare. The slow movement is also a breakthrough. This melancholy Andantino is in the hyper-dramatic Sturm und Drang aesthetic popular at that time. The opening theme incorporates a falling figure—at least a sigh, perhaps a sob. The piano sometimes declaims its sorrow in recitative-like passages, and the restrained strings play with mutes except in an anguished outburst near the movement’s end. In the finale, Mozart again experiments with structure: in the midst of an energized rondo, he interpolates a minuet—leisurely, long, and unusually expressive—with four elegantly turned variations.
This used to be known as the Jeunehomme Concerto, after a French pianist—Mlle. Jeunehomme—whose existence was postulated in 1912 by two French musicologists who were trying to track doen a “Mlle. Villieaume” referred to in Mozart family letters. We now know that the pianist associated with this work’s creation was not Mlle. Jeunehomme but rather Mlle. Jenamy—Louise Victoire Jenamy, a daughter of the ballet-master Jean-Georges Noverre, who was a friend of the Mozarts. If we feel inclined to attach a nickname to this work, at least we would do better to call it the Jenamy Concerto rather than the specious Jeunehomme Concerto.
MOZART: Symphony No. 38 in D Major, K. 504, “Prague”
Symphony No. 38 in D major, Prague (K.504) (1786)
In 1786, Mozart—then living in Vienna—received an invitation to visit Prague, apparently by a coterie of that city’s German-speaking culturati. At the ouset of 1787, he and his wife, plus a considerable entourage (including their dog), traveled by coach to the Bohemian capital for what would be the closest he ever came to a pleasure trip. His musical obligations were few, limited to an evening conducting The Marriage of Figaro and a couple of piano performances.
Mozart arrived bearing gifts, chief among them the D-major Symphony that he had completed late in 1786 and that would forrthwith have the name of Prague attached to it. He led a distinguished orchestra—though a small one of about twenty players—in the work’s premiere, which appears to have taken place on January 19, 1787. His early biographer Franz Xaver Niemetschek reported two decades later that “the symphonies he composed for this occasion are real masterpieces … full of surprising modulations, and have a quick, fiery gait, so that the very soul is transported to sublime heights. This applies particularly to the Symphony in D major, which remains a favorite in Prague, although it has doubtless been heard a hundred times.”
It is one of Mozart’s most impressive symphonies, despite its having only three movements rather than four, which by then was the norm. It’s anyone’s guess why Mozart decided not to include the traditional third-movement minuet-and-trio, but he more than compensated by attaching a slow introduction to the opening Allegro. Though such introductions are found in the later symphonies of Haydn and in some of Beethoven’s, they are not much associated with Mozart. In this opening, Mozart seems to be looking ahead to the perplexing chromatic ruminations of Don Giovanni, which (as it happens) Prague would idolize within a year.
MOZART: Violin Concerto No. 5 in A Major, K. 219 “Turkish”
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756-91)
Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major, K.219, Turkish (1775)
We remember Mozart as a composer first and foremost, but in his day he was also renowned as a musical performer. He was acknowledged as an exceptional keyboard virtuoso and an accomplished string player. He was tutored in the violin by his father, Leopold, whose violin treatise stands as a monument of 18th-century pedagogy. Young Mozart served as court violinist—eventually concertmaster—in his native Salzburg, and after he left for Vienna he sometimes played the viola (the violin’s alto cousin) in chamber music.
He probably composed his five concertos for his own use, but other musicians soon mastered them, too. Apparently the first virtuoso to pick them up was Antonio Brunetti, a Neapolitan who was appointed Court Music Director in Salzburg on March 1, 1776, and who succeeded Mozart as concertmaster the following year after one of Mozart’s periodic fallings-out with his boss, Prince-Archbishop Colloredo. On October 9, 1777, Leopold Mozart wrote a letter to his son (away on tour) in which a relevant comment appears: “Brunetti now praises you to the skies! And when I was saying the other day that after all you played the violin passibilmente, he burst out: ‘What? Nonsense! Why, he could play anything! That was a mistaken idea the Prince persisted in, to his own loss.’”
Mozart wrote his Violin Concerto No. 5 in Salzburg at the end of 1775. The opening movement is elegantly balanced between the soloist and the orchestra, combining a sense of spaciousness with a crystalline texture. The large-scale Adagio maintains its sense of quiet grace and introspection throughout. The finale is an amiable rondo that leads to a false ending, at which point the music swerves into a long episode with an east-of-Vienna spirit, a highly spiced section that earned this concerto its geographically approximate nickname of Turkish.
Pianist and Bravo! Vail Artistic Director Anne-Marie McDermott is a consummate artist who balances a versatile career as a soloist and collaborator. She performs over 100 concerts a year in a combination of solo recitals, concerti, and chamber music.
With a career spanning more than 30 years, chamber musician, recording artist and conductor, Academy of St Martin in the Fields Music Director Joshua Bell is one of the most celebrated violinists of his era.
Pianist Anne-Marie McDermott is a consummate artist who balances a versatile career as a soloist and collaborator. She performs over 100 concerts a year in a combination of solo recitals, concerti and chamber music. Her repertoire choices are eclectic, spanning from Bach and Haydn to Prokofiev and Scriabin to Kernis, Hartke, Tower and Wuorinen.
With over 50 concerti in her repertoire, Ms. McDermott has performed with many leading orchestra including the New York Philharmonic, Minnesota Orchestra, Dallas Symphony, Columbus Symphony, Seattle Symphony, National Symphony, Houston Symphony, Colorado Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Moscow Virtuosi, Hong Kong Philharmonic, San Diego Symphony, New Jersey Symphony and Baltimore Symphony among others. Ms, McDermott has toured with the Australian Chamber Orchestra and the Moscow Virtuosi.
In the recent seasons, Ms. McDermott performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic, North Carolina Symphony, Charlotte Symphony, Huntsville Symphony, Alabama Symphony, San Diego Symphony, the Oregon Mozart Players, and the New Century Chamber Orchestra.
Recital engagements have included the 92nd Street Y, Alice Tully Hall, Town Hall, The Schubert Club, Kennedy Center, as well as universities across the country. Anne-Marie McDermott has curated and performed in a number of intense projects including: the Complete Prokofiev Piano Sonatas and Chamber Music, a Three Concert Series of Shostakovich Chamber Music, as well as a recital series of Haydn and Beethoven Piano Sonatas. Most recently, she commissioned works of Charles Wuorinen and Clarice Assad which were premiered in May 2009 at Town Hall, in conjunction with Bach’s Goldberg Variations.
As a soloist, Ms. McDermott has recorded the complete Prokofiev Piano Sonatas, Bach English Suites and Partitas (which was named Gramophone Magazine’s Editor’s Choice), and most recently, Gershwin Complete Works for Piano and Orchestra with the Dallas Symphony and Justin Brown.
In addition to her many achievements, Anne-Marie McDermott has been named the Artistic Director of the famed Bravo! Vail Music Festival in Colorado, which hosts the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Dallas Symphony in addition to presenting over 40 chamber music concerts throughout the summer. She is also Artistic Director of Santa Fe Pro Musica, The Ocean Reef Chamber Music Festival, McKnight Chamber Music Festival, and The Avila Chamber Music Celebration in Curacao.
As a chamber music performer, Anne-Marie McDermott was named an artist member of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in 1995 and performs and tours extensively with CMS each season. She continues a long standing collaboration with the highly acclaimed violinist, Nadja Salerno Sonnenberg. As a duo, they have released a CD titled “Live” on the NSS label and plan to release the Complete Brahms Violin and Piano Sonatas in the future. Ms. McDermott is also a member of the renowned piano quartet, Opus One, with colleagues Ida Kavafian, Steven Tenenbom and Peter Wiley.
She continues to perform each season with her sisters, Maureen McDermott and Kerry McDermott in the McDermott Trio. Ms, McDermott has also released an all Schumann CD with violist, Paul Neubauer, as well as the Complete Chamber Music of Debussy with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.
Ms. McDermott studied at the Manhattan School of Music with Dalmo Carra, Constance Keene and John Browning. She was a winner of the Young Concert Artists auditions and was awarded an Avery Fisher Career Grant.
Ms. McDermott regularly performs at Festivals across the United States including, Spoleto, Mainly Mozart, Sante Fe, La Jolla Summerfest, Mostly Mozart, Newport, Caramoor, Bravo, Chamber Music Northwest, Aspen, Music from Angelfire, and the Festival Casals in Puerto Rico, among others.
With a career spanning more than 30 years as a soloist, chamber musician, recording artist and conductor, Joshua Bell is one of the most celebrated violinists of his era. An exclusive Sony Classical artist, he has recorded more than 40 CDs garnering Grammy, Mercury, Gramophone and Echo Klassik awards, and is a recipient of the Avery Fisher Prize, as well as the Lumiere Prize for his work in the sphere of Virtual Reality. Named the Music Director of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields in 2011, he is the only person to hold this post since Sir Neville Marriner formed the orchestra in 1958, and recently renewed his contract through 2020. In 2016, Sony released Bell’s album For the Love of Brahms with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, cellist Steven Isserlis and pianist Jeremy Denk, followed in 2017 by the Joshua Bell Classical Collection, a 14 CD set of Bell’s Sony recording highlights from the past 20 years.
Summer 2017 saw Joshua Bell perform at the BBC Proms with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, at the Verbier Festival, as Artist In Residence at the Edinburgh International Festival and – in the US - at Tanglewood, Ravinia, and the Mostly Mozart Festival. In the 2017/18 season in the US, Bell takes part in the New York Philharmonic’s celebration of Leonard Bernstein’s centennial, performing Bernstein’s Serenade led by Alan Gilbert, and also appears with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra among others. His North American recital tours take him to Carnegie Hall, Chicago’s Symphony Center and Washington D.C.’s Strathmore Center. Highlights in Europe include appearances as soloist with the Vienna Symphony and Danish National Symphony; as director and soloist with the Orchestre National de Lyon; and recitals in Paris, Zurich, Geneva, Bologna, Milan and London. With the Academy of St Martin in the Fields he will tour widely including in the United Kingdom, United States and Europe, featuring performances in London, New York, San Francisco, Reykjavik and at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg.
Convinced of the value of music as a diplomatic and educational tool, Bell participated in President Obama’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities’ first cultural mission to Cuba. He is also involved in Turnaround Arts, another project implemented by the Committee and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts which provides arts education to low-performing elementary and middle schools.
Joshua Bell performs on the 1713 Huberman Stradivarius violin and uses a late 18th century French bow by François Tourte.
Photo: Lisa-Marie Mazzucco
Give the gift of music with a Bravo! Vail Gift Certificate
PURCHASE A GIFT CERTIFICATEStrings take center stage in this sumptuous program, opening with Principal Cello Carter Brey, celebrated for his “elegant phrasing and deft technique,” (New York Times), playing Haydn’s beautifully poised concerto. Souvenir juxtaposes delightful images of the sun-warmed Italian landscape, colored by the burnished sound of a string orchestra, with glorious Russian intensity.
Virtuoso violinist Joshua Bell takes center stage for this lively linkage of Italian Baroque with 20th century tango. Vivaldi’s hugely popular violin concertos alternate with Piazzolla’s rapturous re-imaginings for a vibrant exploration of each composer’s time and temperament.
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DONOR INFORMATION
Where are the orchestra concert performances held?
Bravo! Vail orchestral concerts take place at Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater (GRFA) located at 530 S. Frontage Rd E Vail, CO 81657
What time do performances begin?
Concerts start promptly at 6:00PM. Gates open 60 minutes prior to performances. GRFA gates open 60 minutes prior to performances. Give yourself plenty of time to park and get into the venue. Latecomers will be escorted by ushers at appropriate intervals.
Where do I park?
FREE concert parking is available at the Vail Parking Structure (241 South Frontage Road East, Vail) and the Lionshead Parking Structure (395 South Frontage Road West, Vail). A Town of Vail Special Event express bus provides continuous service from both parking structures to the GRFA before and after concerts. We expect that bus capacity for each bus will be limited to 40 or fewer people. Limited $10 parking is available at Ford Park by the Tennis Center (500 South Frontage Rd). Additional $10 parking is available at the Vail Athletic/Soccer Field lot.
Walking instructions from the Vail Village Parking Structure
Via Gore Creek Trail: 15-minute scenic walk
1. Exit the parking garage by following the Pedestrian Exit signs towards “Vail Village” / “Golden Peak”
2. Turn left out of the parking garage onto East Meadow Drive and head east
3. At the end of the road turn right on Vail Valley Drive and cross the road
4. Turn left on the walking path before the bridge, following the street signs towards "Ford Park"
5. Continuing east, follow the walking path along Gore Creek until reaching the GRFA
Via Frontage Road: 15-minute walk
1. From the top level of the parking garage, exit onto the South Frontage Road
2. Turn right and follow the sidewalk east along the south side of the frontage road
3. Cross East Meadow Drive and continue east along the sidewalk
4. Turn right after passing The Wren at Vail on the right
5. Continue down the path down to the GRFA
How long do concerts last?
Concerts generally last 2 hours including intermission. Please call the Box Office 877.812.5700 for exact running times.
How do I buy tickets?
Tickets and gift certificates may be ordered in the following ways:
1. Online: bravovail.org
2. By phone: 877.812.5700
3. In person: Bravo! Vail 2271 N Frontage Rd W Suite C, Vail, CO 81657
Bravo! Vail accepts American Express, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover. Fees apply. Tickets are delivered by mail, mobile app, email, or may be picked up at Will Call.
What are the Box Office hours?
Bravo! Vail Box Office hours are Monday-Friday from 9:00AM to 4:00PM. During the Festival, hours include Saturday & Sunday from 10:00AM to 4:00PM. The Bravo! Vail Box Office can be reached at 877.812.5700.
The Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater box office is open from 11:00AM until concert start time (5:00PM on days with no concerts) during the Festival. Tickets for upcoming performances may be purchased on-site at the GRFA before concerts and during intermission.
Where is the Will Call window?
Will Call tickets may be picked up at the GRFA amphitheater box office located to the right of the main entrance lobby. The box office is open 11:00AM to concert start time during the Festival.
What is your vaccination policy?
The health and safety of our patrons, musicians, staff, and community are Bravo! Vail's top priorities. After careful consideration and in compliance with our venue partners, as well as local, state, and federal guidelines, we will not require proof of vaccination to attend Bravo! Vail events for the 2022 summer season. Face coverings at all events will be optional and encouraged for anyone who wishes to wear them. We will continue to stay in close communication with Eagle County Public Health and Environment, and we may change our policy at any time in the interest of the health and safety of our guests, artists, employees, and volunteers.
This policy may be revised or changed at any time. We thank you for your understanding, cooperation, and flexibility.
What if I misplace or forget to bring my tickets?
There is no charge to reprint tickets. Please call 877.812.5700 before 3:00PM on the day of the performance or allow extra time to request new tickets at the Will Call window.
Where are seating options for people with disabilities?
Per the American Disability Act (ADA), the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater is accessible to individuals with disabilities. ADA seating is available in Section 1 Row L and Section 4 Row O in all reserved seating zones and prices. A limited number of ADA General Admission Lawn seats are available for sale behind Section 2. You must have a designated ADA lawn seat ticket to sit in this area. By purchasing an ADA seat, you are stating that you require an ADA seat. If purchased fraudulently, you may be subject to relocation. If you need assistance purchasing ADA seating, please call the Box Office at 877.812.5700.
What if it rains?
Concerts take place rain or shine. The GRFA is an open-air venue. Refunds are not given due to weather unless a concert is canceled in its entirety with no performance rescheduled.
What should I wear?
There is no dress code for concerts. Please be prepared for rain and cooler temperatures.
How can I learn more about the music?
Find more on the website, Bravo! Vail Music Festival App, or program book!
What should I bring to the concerts?
If you will be on the lawn, a blanket, sunglasses, and a hat are recommended. If rain is predicted, please bring appropriate rain gear. Food, commercially sealed non-alcoholic beverages, low-profile lawn chairs (4-inch legs), and umbrellas are permitted at concerts.
All bags are subject to search (please help us by packing your bag with this in mind).
No oversized bags will be allowed (for example: duffle bags, large backpacking bags, suitcases).
The following articles are not allowed at the venue: cameras, audio/video recording devices, standard-height lawn chairs, baby strollers, alcoholic beverages, firearms, pets, smoking, skateboards, bicycles, scooters, and skates.
Are lawn chairs available to rent?
Low-profile lawn chairs are available at the GRFA to rent for $10. You may also rent a lawn chair by contacting the Bravo! Vail Box Office at 877.812.5700.
What are some general rules of concert etiquette?
Please allow time for parking and seating. Concert attendees must silence all mobile devices prior to performances to not disrupt musicians and other patrons. Please limit conversations and other noisy activities during the performance. In the pavilion seating, we recommend eating prior to the concert or at intermission. Parental supervision is required for all children attending Bravo! Vail concerts.
Any forms of audio or video recording (mobile phone, camera, video camera, iPad) are prohibited at these events.
What else should I know?
Vail’s high elevation requires adequate hydration and sun protection. Visitors from lower elevations may experience altitude sickness.
What if I lose something at the concert?
Check with the GRFA box office for lost items at intermission or call 970.748.8497.
What if I still have questions?
Please contact the Box Office at ticketing@bravovail.org or 877.812.5700 Mon–Fri 9:00AM–4:00PM (and Sat–Sun 10:00AM-4:00PM during the Festival).
Do you charge service fees?
Bravo! Vail enriches people's lives through the power of music by producing the finest performances by the greatest artists; fostering music education; and promoting a lifelong appreciation of the arts. We strive to provide the best experience for all audiences. As we continue to maintain this high level of service, our in-house box office happily manages the ticketing and seating process for our patrons. The price of each ticket helps offset production costs, artist fees and housing, and other expenses associated with the performance. However, ticket sales revenue covers less than half of what it costs to present world-class music in Colorado's most beautiful mountain setting.
Service fees help offset the cost associated with processing, printing, and selling tickets. Costs include:
A five percent service fee is applied to tickets sold through BravoVail.com and an eight percent fee for tickets sold by phone, and in-person through official Bravo! Vail ticketing sources. These fees are proportionate to the ticket's listed price. Additional venue fees may apply. To make our pricing clear to ticket buyers, we do not fold ticketing fees into base ticket prices. All service fees are non-refundable.
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