Conductor: Marco Raimondi
Maria Barattiero: Flute
Pier Angelo Prandoni: Flute
Alessandro Scarlatti: Sinfonia di Concerto Grosso No. 1 in F Major
Antonio Salieri: Concertino da Camera in G Major, Ang 656, for flute and strings
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Mass in C Major, K. 167 (in honorem Sanctissimae Trinitatis)
Times have been tough lately when it comes to live music in my life, mostly owing to the heart-breaking loss of a couple of juicy opportunities back in Rome and Naples last month due to a nasty cold followed by spring allergies (Sometimes when it rains, it does pour). But then again, there was no way I was going to risk being that coughing person everybody in the venue is secretly and — let’s face it, legitimately — cursing, especially in concert halls and opera houses I was planning to return to.
And then, lo and behold, a couple of weeks ago I came across posters advertising a free concert in the Cattedrale di San Lorenzo of Perugia just as I was making my first foray in the stunningly preserved hill town (Sometimes it is really in the last place you look, isn’t it?). My excitement was kind of dampened by the ungodly 9:00 PM starting time, but beggars cannot be choosers, and at least going back to my temporary pied-à-terre would be a short walk that would also give me a chance to experience Perugia by night.
Organized as part of the international music festival Musica dal Mondo and performed by the Orchestra dell’Accademia Amadeus of Milan, a resolutely eclectic and highly talented ensemble made of the Accademia Musicale Amadeus’ students, alumni, mentors and teachers, the concert was meant to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the famous Università per Stranieri di Perugia, whose mission is to promote everything Italian to, well, non-Italian students.
But then, on that Saturday evening, an originally smallish group of like-minded music lovers and I had a fleeting moment of panic when the cathedral’s doors were still obstinately closed at 8:45 PM, although we did not give up hope and kept busy shuffling between the massive front doors and the smaller side doors. And then the miracle happened: All doors flung open, and we were warmly invited into the fancily lit cavernous space.
Because the concert marked a special anniversary, speeches by various luminaries from the university, the cathedral, and let’s not forget our maestro, Marco Raimondi, would be interspersed between the various pieces and the two encores, but that was a small price to pay. After all, the performance started almost on time, the program was engaging and the atmosphere festive, so all was well in the world, or at least in Perugia, on that lovely spring Saturday night.
As Raimondi pointed out in his opening remarks, this year commemorated not only the centennial of the Università per Stranieri di Perugia, but the centennial of Scarlatti’s death as well. And sure enough, the musical part of the evening got eventually going with a short and light-hearted frolic by the Neapolitan composer (Ciao Napoli!) in his Sinfonia di Concerto Grosso No. 1 in F Major, which turned out to be the perfect savory amuse-bouche to prepare our palates for the more substantial fare to come.
The second work on the program was by Salieri, who, as Raimondi emphasized while also mentioning an article by maestro Riccardo Muti that had appeared in the Corriere della Sera that day, was one of the most gifted composers of his times, not only in Vienna or Italy, but in all of Europe. In a cruel twist of fate and a perfect example of disastrously bad timing, he had the great misfortune of having to compete with Mozart and his outworldly genius, and just could not win.
As his Concertino da Camera in G Major for flute and strings proved beyond any reasonable doubt, Salieri was in fact totally worthy of his high position at the Habsburg court. Here again, we got to bask in pretty melodies that could not help but lift our spirits even further as the orchestra and solo flutists successfully joined forces for a delightful performance. I think it is a safe bet to assume that Salieri would have loved this respectful yet fun nod at the 200th anniversary of his death.
Last, but not least, came the headliner of the program, not that Scarlatti’s or Salieri’s names could be found on the advertising poster anyway, in Mozart and the solemn Mass in C Major, K. 167 (in honorem Sanctissimae Trinitatis) he wrote as a young, but already extraordinarily gifted and mightily ambitious, composer after a few years spent traveling and studying, but regrettably not landing a position, in Italy.
For this brilliant piece, with adroitly combined religious sternness and Italian warmth, the small orchestra was joined by a sizable choir — And, unusually enough, no soloists — that added significant depth and complexity to the instrumental composition, even if the voices tended to wander off into the immensity of the cathedral. Hearing such expressive music in such an awe-inspiring setting was nevertheless a truly memorable experience that was much appreciated by all.
And we were not done. Just as I was desperately trying to emulate other audience members who were leaving discreetly while another speech was getting underway, I quickly realized that my premium spot would unfortunately preclude an inconspicuous exit. But then Raimondi decided to bestow upon us another delectable Mozartian treat, and suddenly the other inadvertently stuck members of the audience and myself did not feel so bad about having to stay a little longer.
Even better, two speeches later, the concert finally concluded with an ethereally beautiful "Ave Maria", which the maestro rightfully dedicated to the Madonna delle Grazie, whose painting was gracing an elaborate neo-gothic pillar standing smack in the middle of the cathedral. Barefoot and pregnant — but fancily dressed too — Mary was a serene presence that clearly inspired musicians and singers to deliver what may very well have been the highlight of the evening. Ave Maria indeed.
