Ruth Leon recommends… Mambo to Mozart

Ruth Leon recommends… Mambo to Mozart

Ruth Leon recommends

norman lebrecht

September 01, 2023

Mambo to Mozart

Click here for tickets : tv subscription

This is a delightful performance/documentary which grew out of a long-cherished dream of Sarah Willis, a young British French horn player with the Berlin Philharmonic. Her dream comes true here with a grand concert in which she performs with the young musicians of the Havana Lyceum Orchestra and conductor José Antonio Méndez Padrón, as well as a Cuban salsa mambo band. This is a musically irresistible encounter between musicians of different disciplines coming together in an exuberant combination of styles and cultures.

A joint celebration of Mozart as never before seen and heard, including works such as Mozart’s beautiful Horn Concerto No. 3 and lots of Cuban rhythms. Joyous original arrangements of Mozartian themes played by an irrepressible group of young Cubans who simply can’t help Mambo-ing to Mozart.

The director is Magdalena Zieba-Schwind who does a fine job expressing visually the joy the musicians find in each other and in the music, as well as the exceptional communication between conductor and soloist.

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Comments

  • Paul Terry says:

    A “young” horn player? Thanks, Ms. Leon, from a 69- year old!

  • Henry williams says:

    Does MS willis get paid for these programmes in
    Different countries.

  • Zarathusa says:

    I’m sure “Mozart the Manbo King” is gyrating in his grave!!!

    • Ifigenia auf Aulide says:

      I can guarantee you that Mozart would have LOVED those glorious rhythmically majestic twelve eight notes (quavers) of Cuban music. Snap out of the prejudice, let’s see if you can master something remotely similar (yes, I know you’re not interested;) so what, you wouldn’t be able to do it anyway.

  • Henry williams says:

    The article says she is a young player.
    She is 55.

  • Robert Martin says:

    Sarah Willis has long been, and continues to be, a good will ambassador for classical music, the Berlin Philharmonic, and women in music. May she continue to enliven the musical scene for years to come.

    • Shalom Rackovsky says:

      Absolutely. She is also a lovely person, and an absolutely outstanding, monster hornist. And 55 is the new 30. May she indeed continue in good health for many years!

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