2023 Deer Valley Music Festival: Mozart’s Symphony No. 39

Bookended with works that highlight the brilliance and range of Mozart, this concert begins with a charming divertimento that sparks a sense of celebration, thanks to its interweaving melodies and playful rhythms. Strauss’ Oboe Concerto—performed by the symphony’s Principal Oboe Zac Hammond—reveals rich harmonies that allow the notoriously difficult solo oboe to shine, while the hauntingly beautiful string lines of Dvorák’s Nocturne evoke a sense of tranquility and introspection. Concluding the evening, Mozart’s Symphony No. 39 is a masterpiece that exemplifies the composer’s genius with expressive (and sometimes contradictory) melodies, connecting to and complementing each other with surprising ease.