Soup concert with Mozart and Mahler

The philharmonic members, Catarina Skoog Aquilonius, viola, and Marie Macleod, cello, are accompanied by violinist Karin Eriksson and pianist Karin Haglund in this performance of breathtaking piano quartets.

Mozart rarely composed if the work was not commissioned. But there are exceptions, such as the Piano Quartet in E-flat Major. After receiving an initial quartet in G minor, the publisher released Mozart from the assignment of writing another. He thought the music was excessively intricate. Mozart chose to compose this second piano quartet regardless, for himself. So here, we get to hear Mozart in full freedom, effervescent, enthusiastic and filled with whimsy. 

Gustav Mahler is associated primarily with his major orchestral works, but in his youth he also composed several chamber music pieces. Not much has been preserved. This first movement of a piano quartet is an exception. To be sure, Mahler’s major symphonies are fantastic, but already here we can detect his ability to draw magic out of a piece of music. This is grandiose music in small format – evocative, dreamy and romantic.