The Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO), in partnership with the Austrian Embassy and the UST Symphony Orchestra, staged “From Mozart to Mahler,” the second concert of its centennial season, at the Proscenium theater on May 30.
Featuring the works of Austrian composers Gustav Mahler and Wolfgang Mozart, the event paid tribute to the cultural roots of MSO, which was founded in 1926 by Austrian conductors Herbert Zipper and Alexander Lippay.
The concert kicked off with a rendition of Mozart’s “Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra in Eb major, K 364, by violinists Emmanuel John Villarin and Christian Wrona.
The three-movement orchestral work builds dramatic tension through a crescendo of solo dialogues, then transitions to operatic introspection, culminating in a playful, energetic exchange between the soloists.
The final half of the concert concluded with a four-movement symphony by Mahler, titled “Symphony No. 1 in D Major Titan.”
Evoking the heroic ideals and youthful vigor of Mahler’s era, the piece employs loud, bombastic notes to depict the triumph of inner strength amid an evil world.
“When the opportunity emerged to collaborate with the MSO and the UST Symphony Orchestra for this historic centennial, there was an immediate artistic alignment,” guest conductor Joshua Dos Santos of the Simón Bolívar Symphony Chamber Orchestra told the Varsitarian.
“Being chosen to lead these extraordinary musicians at such a pivotal moment in their history is a privilege I deeply cherish, and it reinforces the global bonds that connect us through symphonic music,” he added.
MSO Executive Director Jeffrey Solares said the different musical styles presented showed the progression of symphonic music from the 1700s to the 20th century.
“Tonight they have heard the classical music of Mozart from the very beginning of the orchestral history, and Mahler is one of the last composers of the romantic period,” he said.
Solares said he hoped audiences would appreciate their efforts to preserve MSO’s enduring legacy for the next 100 years.
“We want to be able to continually raise new generations of musicians. We want to be able to find more support from the business community, from the academic community, and from the cultural life of Manila,” he said.
The concert coincided with the 80th anniversary celebrations of the UST Conservatory of Music. John Kobe S. Balod
