MOZART, Wolfgang Amadeus
Concerto for horn and orchestra in E flat major K 495 (reduction for horn and piano)
I. Allegro moderato
José Vicente Castelló, guest professor
Rodrigo Costa, student
Jesús Gómez Madrigal, accompanying pianist
The professor’s first comment on the student’s performance concerns how he feels and physically plays the pulse: it is important to think of it alla breve. The horn’s entry should be more integrated into the piano introduction, not as a beginning. Castelló then advises defining the sound more when playing in the auditorium (articulating without aggressiveness), and notes the difference compared to playing in a small classroom. For this passage, he also recommends phrasing by following the tonal line to find the appoggiatura, and thinking of it as pianists play it. They work in detail on the attack of that appoggiatura to achieve the appropriate articulation. There should be more interaction and connection with the piano; the passage is like chamber music.
The professor then gives indications regarding character and, as a result, recommends listening to Barry Tuckwell’s recordings of Mozart’s concertos. They continue working on articulation and the most difficult passages. Later, he recommends having an internalised plan, forming a structure for the work to be performed with a musical sense linked to the context. One must play expressively, but without doing anything that holds back the motion.
The professor gives performance indications regarding appoggiaturas, trills, character, phrasing, dialogue with the piano (orchestra), etc.
Regarding the recapitulation, it has a brilliant and vigorous character, not so reminiscent: Castelló plays the opening to show the student examples of tools and expressions he can use to convey that character.
Language: Spanish
