Evening Serenade
Mozart and Strauss

Despite two centuries of separation, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's "Grand Partita" and Richard Strauss's Symphony for Wind Instruments offer listeners a chance to hear the earlier composer's influence on Strauss's work. Using almost the same instrumentation, including basset horns, both pieces depict the wistful yet carefree nature of salon music.

Mozart's "Grand Partita" was composed between 1781 and 1782. It is comprised of some of his most well known melodies, including its exquisite Adagio, which was made famous in the film, Amadeus.

One of the most lyrical works among those composed at the end of Strauss’s life, the Symphony for Wind Instruments comes full circle and bears the dedication, "to the spirit of the immortal Mozart at the end of a life full of thankfulness."