Mozart, WA :: Adagio in E Major, K. 498

Adagio in E Major, K. 498

Mozart, WA

International Music Company presents Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's 'Adagio in E Major', K. 498 transcribed for flute and with cadenza by Robert Stallman with piano arrangement by K.H. Fussl.

Mozart's K. 498 was originally composed as a trio for clarinet, viola, and piano in the key of E-flat major, titled 'Kegelstatt'. This arrangement does lose any of the original composition's integrity while still providing a new setting in a completely different sonority.

'During the 1780s, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart became friends with the family of a scientist named Nikolaus Josef von Jacquin. On Wednesdays, Nikolaus and his family would host parties that brought together talented people from the worlds of science and music, providing an opportunity for well-educated amateurs and professionals alike to socialize and play games. The scientists could discuss their theories in a casual setting, and the musicians could play chamber music and provide entertainment for the other guests.

Mozart grew especially close with Nikolaus children Gottfried and Franziska, both of whom were singers. The depth of Mozart s friendship with the Jacquins can be seen in the words he once wrote to Gottfried from Prague: 'I long most ardently to be back in Vienna; and believe me, the chief cause of this homesickness is certainly your family.'

It was for one of the Jacquin family s gatherings in 1786 that Mozart wrote the Trio for Clarinet, Viola and Piano in E-flat Major, K. 498, 'Kegelstatt.' The trio s unusual instrumentation resulted from Mozart s friendship with a clarinetist named Anton Stadler, for whom Mozart wrote many works around that time. Franziska played the piano, and Mozart played his preferred string instrument, the viola.

The title 'Kegelstatt' refers to a garden game Mozart played at the Jacquin s, similar to bowling. Like the gatherings themselves, Mozart s music is lighthearted and playful, unfolding slowly and gracefully. The trio is of particular interest as it relates to the clarinet, as it is one of the earliest great works of chamber music to feature that instrument, still relatively uncommon in Mozart s day. Mozart s comfort in writing for the clarinet is a testament to his friendship with Anton Stadler.'

- Ethan Allred