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A little festive music

Author Sabrina

Published on: July 15, 2024

With Eine Kleine Nachtmusik like you've never heard it before.

In the second half of the 18th century, music for celebrations, banquets, outdoor events and cafés became very popular and was often called "nachtmusik" or "serenade music". Its sole purpose was to entertain and excite.

Composers went to great lengths to impress the nobility and influential people who were often present on these occasions - perhaps there were opportunities for a commission for another work! As a result, there is a wealth of fun, quirky, catchy, graceful, varied and often astonishingly virtuosic music of this kind - and often pushing musicians to the limits of their ability.

Mozart and Haydn are great ambassadors of the genre, but there are also a plethora of talented, but lesser-known, composers who specialized in this form of entertainment. This program presents some of them - such as Joseph Haydn's underrated brother Michael, Mozart's favorite Mysliveček and the quirky and exciting Družecký.

Since the beginning of time, people have sought pleasure and entertainment. "Eine Kleine Festmusik" appeals to this timeless urge - the chatter, gossip, fun, drinking and flirting - just like today. And music was - as now - a necessity to create the right atmosphere!