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Mozart’s Dissonance Quartet

Naples Philharmonic Sypert Salon Chamber Music

Image of Tracy Leonard of the Naples Philharmonic on stage playing violin during a performance
Feb 25, 3:00pm — Mar 2, 3:00pm

   Daniels Pavilion

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Event

Mozart’s Dissonance Quartet
Naples Philharmonic Sypert Salon Chamber Music


Musicians of the Naples Philharmonic

Reicha — Horn Quintet, Op. 106
Mozart — String Quartet, K. 465, “Dissonance”

Mozart’s String Quartet, known as “Dissonance” due to the unusual harmonies in its unusually slow and austere introduction, and a ferociously difficult piece from the master’s master, Anton Reicha — teacher of Liszt, Berlioz, Franck and lifelong friend of Beethoven — highlight this exceptional program that is sure to showcase the talent of the Naples Philharmonic musicians.

Czech-born, Bavarian-educated and a French citizen, composer and music theorist Anton Reicha is best known for his wind quintet literature and being the teacher to more famous composers like Liszt and Berlioz.

Reicha was a technical wizard whose work poses real challenges even for virtuosos. His Horn Quintet, featured in this program, is a thrilling instrumental tour-de-force described as 10 times more difficult to play than any known horn concerto, remaining beyond the reach of all but the very best musicians. While his compositions are entertaining and sound natural, few of the innovative ideas he promoted in his music and writings, such as polyrhythm, polytonality, microtonal music and quarter tones, were accepted or used by other 19th-century composers.

Mozart’s Dissonance Quartet is among the most popular of the composer’s quartets, though it didn’t start that way: Early critics called it “execrable” and “barbarous.” Completed in 1785, Dissonance is the last in a set of six quartets Mozart composed and dedicated to Joseph Haydn. After its first performances, many thought the composer had made a mistake, leading early publishers of the music to alter the harmonically complex sections themselves. Like any musical break from the norm, it took time for it to gain acceptance, with Mozart biographer Maynard Solomon eventually describing it as an “unprecedented network of disorientations, dissonances, rhythmic obscurities and atmospheric dislocations.”

The Sypert Salon Series is generously sponsored by Drs. George Sypert and Joy Arpin.

Naples Philharmonic

Naples Philharmonic


Founded in 1982, the Naples Philharmonic normally performs over 140 orchestral and chamber concerts, as well as opera and ballet, education, community and special event concerts from September through June each year.

  Meet the Musicians


Alexander Shelley

Artistic and Music Director  Meet Alexander

Jack Everly

Principal Pops Conductor   Meet Jack

James Ehnes

Artistic Partner   Meet James

Manuel López-Gómez

Associate Conductor   Meet Manuel

Alvin Ho

Assistant Conductor   Meet Alvin

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