Norwegian Radio Orchestra & Petr Popelka - Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 39 & 40 (2023)

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Norwegian Radio Orchestra & Petr Popelka - Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 39 & 40 (2023)

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Mozart composed his last three symphonies (Nos. 39-41) in the space of six weeks during the summer of 1788, at a time when he had sunk into poverty, regularly borrowing money from his friend Michael Puchberg and pawning household items. In recent years he had been organising many concerts in Vienna and was equally in demand as a teacher. Then, in Prague, he had enjoyed the tremendous acclaim of his Marriage of Figaro (1786) and Don Giovanni (1787). Now, however, he struggled to find subscribers for the publication of three string quintets and faced what seemed to be the end of his Viennese concerts. No doubt he recalled the warning of Count Karl Arco, court chamberlain to his employer at that time, the Archbishop of Salzburg - "A man's reputation here [Vienna] lasts a very short time … after a few months the Viennese want something new." Mozart had quickly outgrown his native city, while his unconcealed disdain for the archbishop's boorish manner did nothing for their working relationship. In spite of Count Arco's warning, his urge to leave for Vienna was unquenchable.

Apparently, in June 1788, Mozart planned a subscription series of concerts in Vienna for which he specially composed his last three symphonies, but there is absolutely no evidence that the performances actually took place. In a letter to Michael Puchberg, written in June that year, he does mention an imminent series of concerts, but it is believed that only one of the three works (possibly No. 40) was performed in the composer's lifetime - in April 1791 in Vienna's Burgtheater.

Petr Popelka has been chief conductor of the Norwegian Radio Orchestra since the autumn of 2020, and since September 2022 chief conductor of Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra as well. He has conducted most ma-jor Norwegian orchestras and has made sev-eral appearances at the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet.Petr Popelka is known for his insight and infectious enthusiasm whatever the music - with the Norwegian Radio Orchestra it has run the gamut from Viennese classicism to Norwegian pop artists. He has a special place in his heart for the most avant-garde music and he is himself a respected composer.

The Norwegian Radio Orchestra is known as "the whole land's orchestra" and is today regarded with a unique combination of re-spect and affection by its music-loving public. With its remarkably diverse repertoire, this is no doubt the orchestra most heard through-out the land - on the radio, television, and online, and at various diverse venues around the country.