Mistral presents: “Wanderlust – Souvenirs from Abroad” Feb 10-11

Mistral’s Annual Valentine concert, Wanderlust– Souvenirs from Abroad, showcases the genius of four composers who found inspiration in foreign lands.

Johann Peter Salomon, a German-born musician and impresario, was instrumental in bringing Joseph Haydn to London for a series of successful concerts in the 1790s. During these visits, Haydn composed what is now known as the “London Symphonies.” Salomon played a crucial role in promoting Haydn’s music in London, and his collaboration with Haydn significantly influenced the reception and popularity of the composer’s works in England. Mistral presents Salomon’s scintillating arrangement for flute and strings of his final Symphony No. 104.

La Création du Monde can be traced back to French composer Darius Milhaud’s 1920 trip to London, where he first encountered jazz. He was so enamored of it that he traveled to New York’s Harlem, immersing himself in the vibrant world of jazz. He came back to France full of the language he had absorbed there, the melodies and rhythms of the blues. Originally written for orchestra as a one-act ballet, Milhaud himself arranged the chamber version of his jazzy “Creation du Monde” for a piano quintet.

Also on the program is another work inspired by traveling abroad, this time from living American composer Elizabeth Brown, whose music has been called luminous, dreamlike, and hallucinatory. Her haunting mixed-ensemble work, Liguria. Was composed while on a trip to Liguria, and she has written that it . . . “reflects a certain lyrical melancholy I felt during an Italian residency in 1998.” Mistral performed another of her works two years ago, which was brilliantly received.

Tchaikovsky spent the harsh Russian winter of 1890 in Italy, and his time in Florence left an indelible mark on his artistic sensibilities. Mistral brings this varied program to a rousing close with his winning string sextet, “Souvenir de Florence,“ a sunny, melodious work imbued by lyricism and a buoyant rhythmic vitality that mirrors the lively spirit of Florence.

Among the featured performers will be Mistral members, Sarita Kwok, Stephanie Fong, Julie Scolnik, and Sasha Scolnik-Brower, husband and wife guest artists hailing from the Chicago Symphony Lawrence Neumann and Qing Hou, and guest cellist Raman Ramakrishnan, and pianist Sarah Bob.

Haydn’s London Symphony, composed during his visits to London in the 1790s, stands as a testament to the composer’s profound musical prowess and the vibrant cultural exchange between Austria and England. Also recognized as the Salomon Symphony in Germany, it is a striking embodiment of Haydn’s innovative genius, with its spirited orchestration and dynamic exploration of musical themes. Johann Peter Salomon, the influential figure behind Haydn’s London tours, further enriched the symphony’s legacy by arranging it for flute and strings, adding a distinctive touch to this musical masterpiece.  Scolnik remarked, “Our Valentine concert has always been one of our most popular. January can seem long and bleak after the holidays, and people crave the warmth of beautiful chamber works to get them through a long cold New England winter.”

MISTRAL. Tickets: $40; Buy securely online and print at home at www.MistralMusic.org , or e-mail , or call 978.474.6222

MISTRAL has been bringing “unstuffy, unpredictable, and unmatched” concerts with internationally renowned musicians to the Merrimack Valley and Greater Boston area since 1997. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Julie Scolnik, Mistral performances are always a little eccentric, stubbornly personal, impassioned, and committed to invigorating old traditions with an ever-youthful perspective. The Mistral 2023-2024 concert season is funded in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

For Calendar Listings:

Mistral presents: “Wanderlust: Souvenirs from Abroad”

Julie Scolnik, artistic director

February 10th, 4 pm, West Parish Church, 129 Reservation Road, Andover

February 11th, 5 pm, Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, 15 St. Paul Street, Brookline

Mistral’s Annual Valentine concert showcases the genius of four composers who found inspiration in foreign lands.

Tchaikovsky: Souvenir de Florence for string sextet

Haydn: London Symphony No. 104 (arranged for flute & strings by Solomon, a violinist

and impresario from the era)

Elizabeth Brown: Liguria (written during a stay in Italy) for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, & piano

Milhaud: Creation du Monde for piano & string quartet

Sarita Kwok, Qing Hou, violins; Julie Scolnik, flute; Stephanie Fong Lawrence Neumann, violas; Raman Ramakrishnan, Will Chow, cellos; Catherine Hudgins, clarinet; Sarah Bob, piano

Tickets $40. Order securely on-line and print at home at www.MistralMusic.org or e-mail sales@MistralMusic.org or call 978-474-6222. Youth/Students Free at the door

MISTRAL has been bringing “unstuffy, unpredictable, and unmatched” concerts with internationally renowned musicians to the Merrimack Valley and Greater Boston area since 1997. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Julie Scolnik, Mistral performances are always a little eccentric, stubbornly personal, impassioned, and committed to invigorating old traditions with an ever-youthful perspective. The Mistral 2023-2024 concert season is funded in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.