Educació musical: Clementi's Second Symphony premieres in Lleida

Giulio Marazia triumphs in Lleida.

The Italian conductor Giulio Marazia has been invited to conduct the Julià Carbonell Symphony Orchestra of the Terres de Lleida in a concert that took place at the Auditori Enric Granados on November 28, 2021.

The program consisted of three authors who, despite being born on different dates, coincided in part of their compositional stages and also admired and influenced each other: Rossini (1792-1868), Clementi (1752-1832) and Beethoven (1770-1827). The works performed, the Barber of Sevilla Overure del , the Second Symphony and the Fifth Symphony respectively, show significant aspects of their personal styles, but also of the musical language of their time. In this sense, Giulio Marazia wanted to offer a coherent program in which, in addition to well-known works, one could listen to an unjustly forgotten composition by a little-known composer outside the realm of the piano. Thus, he proposed to include the second Symphony of Muzio Clementi, which may never have been performed in our country.

Marazia's performance is smart and personal. He is not carried away by the interpretive standardization that we can often hear in the best-known works. For example, in the Overture of Rossini, he dispenses with the percussion effects traditionally added to the original score.

In the interpretation of the repertoire, Marazia is demanding with the orchestra, asking for brave tempos and a dynamic rich in contrasts. According to the musicians themselves, he does it with conviction, but with all the kindness in intense rehearsals. He manages to make the orchestra sound full, strong and without stridency. In Clementi's Symphony there is work and thought. Not in vain is a work that is not in the repertoire of orchestras around the world and therefore requires an absolutely personal creation. He get away from the comfort zone that many directors are used to. This Symphony, according to himself, refers to Beethoven's first symphonies and requires a full sound, but at the same time a lightness close to Haydn. The last part poses an important challenge due to its rhythmic vitality, always off beat and with perpetual movement. It is a work full of musical ideas, with beautiful melodies, bold harmonies and passages of wise counterpoint. The play was well received by the public.

Beethoven's Fifth had interesting interpretive differences from the usual versions. He emphasized the chamber style of the instrumental sections. We heard voices, accents and dynamics that are usually hidden. The rhythmic and sonic impulse shone fully in this room, perhaps the auditorium with the best acoustics in Catalonia.

The conductor and orchestra were long applauded by a very polite and dedicated audience that almost filled the capacity. We didn’t have to endure candy or cough between movements. This is called "provinces".

The Associació Muzio Clementi of Barcelona attended the concert and we did an interview with the maestro Marazia that you can see in this link. The subject was especially about Clementi.