Bath Mozartfest

Introduction to the 2009

Bath Mozartfest

Welcome to the 19th Bath Mozartfest, nine days of concerts in some of the city’s most historic and atmospheric buildings. As ever, the music of Mozart lies at the heart of the programme, but there are also anniversary celebrations of Handel, Haydn and Mendelssohn, a substantial number of works by Beethoven, and masterpieces by many other major composers. My aim is not only to honour Mozart’s rich canon, but also to make each concert in the ‘Fest’ work as an entity unto itself, with varied colours and musical contrasts.

I am grateful once more to the A M Purnell Charitable Trust and our other generous supporters for enabling me to invite such a distinguished group of artists to this year’s festival.

The festival is launched by one of the world’s leading string quartets, the Takács Quartet, whose two concerts include a Mozart quartet alongside an exploration of the quartets of Beethoven.The rest of the opening weekend is devoted to the two greatest masters of the baroque era. The choir and orchestra of The Sixteen commemorate the 250th anniversary of the death of Handel in the splendid surroundings of Bath Abbey, and the thrilling violinist Viktoria Mullova performs music by Bach both with harpsichordist Ottavio Dantone and unaccompanied.

During the week, the evening concerts include the return of the virtuosi of the Nash Ensemble in a typically attractive programme, a visit from the English Chamber Orchestra with their Music Director designate Paul Watkins as both cello soloist and conductor, and a recital by one of the great pianists of our age, Pierre-Laurent Aimard. And the gala evening with Dame Felicity Lott, Sir Thomas Allen and Malcolm Martineau promises to be a joyous and memorable evening.

Meanwhile, our lunchtime series includes Bath organist Peter King and the exciting cello-and-piano team of Tim Hugh and Alasdair Beatson, together with Mozartfest débuts by some outstanding young artists in pianist Mariangela Vacatello, the Doric String Quartet and clarinettist Chen Halevi.

In our closing weekend, the superb Florestan Trio have two recitals, both marking the bicentenaries of Haydn’s death and Mendelssohn’s birth – the first includes songs sung by Joan Rodgers. The City of London Sinfonia with Sir Roger Norrington and a starry line-up of soloists, provide an appropriate all-Mozart final concert – though also a poignant one, as it is dedicated to the memory of Richard Hickox, an artist with whom I enjoyed a happy and productive collaboration for many years.

I am sure that you will find plenty to your taste in this year’s Mozartfest, and I look forward to welcoming you to the concerts.

Amelia Freedman CBE, FRAM

Artistic Director