Mozart's Concerto for Flute & Harp, 1st movement
Jeremy Lim, flute & Charmaine Teo, harp
Jeremy's Bio
A recipient of the OCBC Local Undergraduate Scholarship, Jeremy began learning the flute in the concert band at Saint Gabriel's Secondary School and went on to Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts to pursue his Diploma in Flute Performance. An avid performer, Jeremy has played with the Singapore National Youth Orchestra, Orchestra of the Makers and The Philharmonic Orchestra. Last year he has also given a recital at the Living Room @ The Arts House with his chamber group The Tango Sextet. The Tango Sextet was formed during his National Service days in the Singapore Police Force Band with his fellow NS band mates, and are passionate in bringing to the local audiences European music from the last two centuries. Some of the biggest inspirations come from this flute teacher, Mr Roberto Alvarez, and Russian music. Currently, Jeremy is a degree student at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.
Charmaine's Bio
Charmaine graduated from School of The Arts, Singapore last year and is currently studying under Gulnara Mashurova at Yong Siew Toh conservatory. Charmaine started learning the harp in 2008 as an extra-curricular activity in school. In June 2009, Charmaine joined Rave Harps, a harp ensemble under Ms Katryna Tan. Since then, Charmaine has participated in a variety of performances.
Among the performances include the Opening Item of CHILDAID 2009 at the premier concert of Resort World Sentosa, Young Harpists Concert 2010, the Acenis International Harp Festival 2012 (France) and the World Harp Congress 2014 (Sydney). She also excelled in the International Thailand Harp competition in August 2012, earning herself a place as the top 5 finalist.
Charmaine actively takes part in playing with orchestras and bands. She has played with Braddell Heights Symphony Orchestra, Singapore Wind Symphony, The Philharmonic Orchestra, The Young Musicians' Foundation Orchestra and Windstars Ensemble.
Programme notes by Jeremy & Charmaine
i. Allegro
For the sake of accepting any commissions that came his way, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed this concerto for the flautist, Duke of Guines and his daughter Marie, who played the harp. Written in Paris, the harp and the flute were the favourite instruments of the French because of their heavenly and angelic associations. Unfortunately, Mozart did not receive the salary as promised from the Duke, which could have led to the beginning of his displeasure to flutes and flautists.
This concerto is written in the fashionable galant style, where themes are more melodious and less polyphonic in nature. Composed for the 18th century single-action harp, it does not showcase any glissandos or harmonics but rather sprinkled with alberti bass patterns and scalic passages. It is interesting to note that the Duke’s flute had a foot joint that could play the low C, and Mozart wrote the note in the outer movements of the concerto, something which he did not do for any other flute pieces he composed.
Written in the conventional sonata form, two tuneful themes are introduced by the orchestra in the exposition, which are later repeated by the solo flute and harp. The development section starts off in its relative minor key and unveils into a series of minor modes. After a series of frantic ascending trills from the flute, the music goes into the recapitulation section. Just before the final repetition of the closing theme, both instruments enjoy a cadenza which showcases the virtuosity of the soloists, before ending the movement with a playful reminiscence of the first theme.
