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Julian Rachlin, violin
Sarah McElravy, viola
Zagreb soloists
A composer whose name has become synonymous with a brilliant composer, whose great talent was recognized from early childhood, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791) he performed in numerous European cities and countries, demonstrated his playing and composing skills before various dignitaries and other composers, and lived the demanding life of a child prodigy, who was put to various tests, playing on a keyboard covered with a handkerchief, improvising character pieces in different styles, and the like. One of the most famous such events was writing down by ear the famous Allegri's Miser after hearing it only once in the Sistine Chapel in Rome. Life on the road brought him into contact with numerous musicians and different musical styles, which gave breadth to his musical thought. Three trips to Italy, from December 1769 to March 1773, were perhaps the most important in his development. These were the years in which he reached full compositional maturity and wrote his first mature operas, and Italy, where he met influential composers and heard the most modern theatrical and church works there, was - after Germany, France and England - the last important stage on the path to creating his style.
Immediately after the second trip to Italy, at the beginning of 1772, three divertimenti were composed in anticipation of a new trip to Italy. Although Mozart called them divertimenti, they were sometimes called "Salzburg symphonies", since their style and musical ideas were more complex than the simple entertaining genre of divertimenti, which was played at parties, often as background music. These are compositions that also bring unusual harmonic richness, inventive melodies that testify to the influence of the Italian operatic style, intriguing variety of treatment of the style, that is, the four string sections, but also youthful cheerfulness and liveliness. The last of the three, Divertimento in F major, K. 138, is as harmonious as the first two in three movements in the fast-slow-fast pattern. The perfect arc of the first movement is built on the striking first theme, which develops with a touch of hasty impatience over a rapid shift of eighth notes and sixteenth notes, while the central part brings more subdued harmonies and a shift into the minor key. The singing melody of the first violins dominates the second movement, filling itself with dissonances and rhythm that introduce the other sections. The fast dance-like movement of the first section of the final rondo alternates with episodes of contrasting character, which give a touch of mystery, drama or pastoral, rustic mood, only to return each time to the irresistible fullness and zest of the main theme.
A few years later, having worked for a number of years in Salzburg, his hometown, in the service of Prince Archbishop Colloredo, Mozart had come to terms with the fact that his career as a child prodigy was over, and he sought musical challenges in which he could demonstrate the fullness of his talent and knowledge. However, this was not always possible in his service at the archbishop's court in Salzburg, partly because of Colloredo's reforms, which reduced the number of occasions on which music was performed and generally shortened concerts, and partly because of the fact that he preferred Italian musicians, who were better paid than local ones. The disputes with the Prince Archbishop culminated in 1777 when Colloredo dismissed both Mozart and his father Leopold from their service. Mozart, now accompanied by his mother, set out in search of employment, and the following years passed on the road in Munich, Augsburg, Mannheim, whose court then gathered the best musicians in Europe, and finally Paris, where his mother died in the summer of 1778. The long return home, to take up his new position as organist in Salzburg, takes Mozart again via Mannheim, although the famous court of Carl Theodor had now moved to Munich. Mozart composed his early 1779 Sinfonia concertante for violin, viola and orchestra in E flat major K. 364, a work of experimental genre, in which he combines the symphony and the concerto, creating a work of rich orchestration and challenging solo parts. The Mannheim style is evident not only in the strong dynamic effects of the crescendo, but in the overall masterfully executed structure and orchestration of the work, whose middle movement, Andante, is perhaps the pinnacle of Mozart's orchestral style at the time, bringing rich orchestral textures, an extravagant division of the viola part, the competition of two soloists, who seem to push each other into an ever higher register, giving the movement an almost ecstatic character. The tension of the opening part of the first movement carries an almost theatrical anticipation, like an opera overture, before the soloists separate from the group playing an ethereal unison on a high E flat and beginning their dialogue resembling a long duet, which goes through phases of gentle harmony and passionate togetherness, meeting in intriguing two-parts, building on each other in successive phrases or joining in lyrical unison fragments. In the original score, the solo viola part is written in the technique scordatura, i.e. in the key of D major, but tuned a half tone higher, giving this instrument, which is typically dull in color, a brighter tone. The gentle Andante, written in minor, is interpreted by some as Mozart's expression of grief over the loss of his mother, in which the violin's lament finds solace in the soft responses of the viola and relief in the orchestra's harmonies. After the long lament of the second movement, Mozart seems to hesitate in the first bars of the Presta, suddenly returning to cheerfulness and lightness, and the initially cheerful theme sneaks into the piano to gradually show its true character of light and softness, both in the orchestra and in the fast sections of the soloists who joyfully free themselves from weight and cheerfully jump in fast phrases filled with soft staccatos and ornaments.
During his time in the service of Prince-Archbishop Colloredo, Mozart composed a number of church works, but he distinguished himself primarily as a composer of instrumental music: concertos, serenades, divertimentos, and concert arias. These compositions include all five of his violin concertos, all of which except the first, K. 207, were composed in 1775. Although he would never return to string instruments as soloists in his later years (except for the Symphonies concertante), these concertos already demonstrate Mozart's greatness as a composer, which would shine forth unhindered upon his departure for Vienna in 1781. During this period he was concertmaster at the court in Salzburg, and he wrote the concertos for the violinist Gaetano Brunetti, who most likely performed them at court concerts. The richly ornamented violin section is accompanied by a light orchestra. The allegro in sonata form rests on a theme of unstoppable optimism and enthusiasm, which appears with new freshness in the solo violin, developing in a relaxed dialogue with the orchestra, only to be replaced by a second, playful theme based on a staccato motif, continuing the cheerful mood, but then turning into a series of minor modulations. After wandering through other keys, the movement returns to the fold of G major. The second movement brings a singing melody in D major, first introduced by the orchestra, with muted strings, followed by the violin an octave higher, softly supported by the accompanying trio movement. The rondo is in dance 3/8 time, returning to G major. The inserted episodes are interesting - both in al breve measure, first in G minor with pizzicatos and then a dance allegretto in major, similar to the then-famous faces from Strasbourg, which is why Mozart also called this concert the "Strassburg Concert".
BIOGRAPHIES
Julian Rachlin is one of the most versatile and acclaimed musicians of our time – a violinist, violist, conductor and artistic director with a career spanning almost four decades. At the age of 14, he made his debut with the Vienna Philharmonic and Riccardo Muti, becoming the youngest soloist in the orchestra’s history. Since then, he has performed with the most prestigious orchestras and conductors around the world, including the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony, the Bavarian Radio Philharmonic, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, Zubin Mehta, Daniele Gatti, Santtu-Matias Rouvali and others.
As a conductor, he leads top ensembles such as the BBC Philharmonic, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the Filarmonica della Scala, the Israel and Vienna Philharmonics, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Since 2023, he has been Music Director of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra and Principal Conductor of the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra, and is also an artistic partner of the German State Philharmonic of Rhineland-Palatinate. Rachlin is also Artistic Director of the Herbstgold Festival in Esterházy Castle (Austria), which brings together top artists and innovative programs under his leadership.
During his career, he has collaborated with artists such as Martha Argerich, Janine Jansen, Mischa Maisky, Evgeny Kissin, John Malkovich and Udo Jürgens, and composers such as Penderecki, Kancheli and Vangelis have entrusted him with performances of their works, many of which they have dedicated to him. His recordings for Deutsche Grammophon, Sony Classical and Warner Classics are distinguished by interpretative power and emotional depth.
Born in Lithuania and raised in Vienna, Rachlin studied violin with Boris Kuschnir and Pinchas Zukerman and conducting with Mariss Jansons and Daniele Gatti. He plays on a Stradivarius violin "ex-Liebig" from 1704 and a Lorenzo Storioni viola from 1785, which were given to him thanks to the Angelika Prokopp Privatstiftung. He is a UNICEF goodwill ambassador and currently lives in Vienna with his wife Sarah and dog Rupert.
Canadian violinist and violist Sarah McElravy is a distinguished artist recognized for her expressive depth, emotional power, and musicality, which critics describe as “divine” and “intimate.” A versatile musician, she has built an international career balancing the roles of soloist, chamber musician, and initiator of musical projects.
In the 2025/26 season, she will perform as a soloist with the Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz, the Orchestra of Milan under Cornelius Meister, the Zagreb Soloists, the Orchestra of Macau and the Zhejiang Philharmonic in China. She will also return to the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra for a tour of Poland and Lithuania and the Sofia Philharmonic with a concert by Giya Kancheli. Styx.
Over the past decade, she has performed with prominent orchestras across Europe, Asia and North America – including the Helsinki, Warsaw and Naples Philharmonics, the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, the Grazer Philharmoniker and others. She achieved a special artistic breakthrough with the world premiere of the concerto Transcendent love, written for her by composer Benjamin Yusupov.
McElravy is also a dedicated chamber musician. She has performed at festivals in Norway, Switzerland, Austria and Italy, including the Bach Tour. Goldberg Variation for string trio with Julian Rachlin and Boris Andrianov. She was a member of the award-winning Linden String Quartet, and in 2014 she founded Chamber Music Society Mexico, with the aim of musical education for young people in Mexico.
Her artistic identity – both as a violinist and a violist – reflects an openness to exploration, grounded in a strong musical tradition. She plays a 1791 Ferdinand Gagliano violin and a 1785 Lorenzo Storioni viola, lent by the Angelika Prokopp Privatstiftung in Vienna.
Ensemble Zagreb soloists was founded in 1953 as part of Radio Zagreb, under the artistic direction of cellist Antonio Janigro. Over the course of almost seven decades, the ensemble has been led by several prominent concertmasters, including Dragutin Hrdjok, Tonko Ninić, Anđelko Krpan and Borivoj Martinić-Jerčić, who have shaped its unique style and quality of musicianship. Since 2012, the ensemble's concertmaster has been the renowned violinist Sreten Krstić, also concertmaster of the Munich Philharmonic.
Zagreb soloists have given almost 4000 concerts worldwide, performing in some of the most prestigious concert halls such as Vienna's Musikverein, Amsterdam's Concertgebouw, London's Royal Festival Hall, New York's Carnegie Hall, Berlin's Philharmonic Hall, Rome's Santa Cecilia, Sydney Opera House and many others. Their international presence also includes performances at prestigious festivals in Salzburg, Prague, Edinburgh, Berlin, Bergen, Barcelona, Istanbul, Prades, Ossiach and Dubrovnik.
Through collaborations with top soloists such as Henryk Szeryng, Alfred Brendel, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Mario Brunello, Ray Chen and many others, the Zagreb Soloists have further enriched their artistic expression. Their repertoire covers a wide spectrum of music – from Baroque, Classicism and Romanticism to contemporary works, with special attention to Croatian composers, thus encouraging their promotion and interpretation.
The ensemble has recorded over seventy albums for major record labels such as Vanguard, EMI, Eurodisc and Croatia Records. Notable releases include albums of works by Ernest Cordera, nominated for a Latin Grammy, and an album of works by Boris Papandopulo, which received excellent reviews from domestic and international audiences. In 2015, they recorded three cello concertos in collaboration with cellist Marc Coppey for the German record label Audite.
The Zagreb Soloists have won numerous awards, including the first prize in Mar del Plata, the Pablo Casals Medal, the Elisabeth Sprague Coolidge Medal, and the domestic Vladimir Nazor, Milka Trnina, Josip Štolcer Slavenski and Porin awards for lifetime achievement. During the Homeland War, they held a series of charity concerts to help the city of Dubrovnik, destroyed schools and hospitals, as well as for the restoration of Croatia's cultural heritage. In 2010, they were awarded the Orlando Grand Prix for their contribution to the Dubrovnik Summer Festival.
With almost seven decades of top-notch performance, the Zagreb Soloists remain a symbol of excellence, dedication and love for chamber music, and their discipline and enthusiasm guarantee the continuation of the rich artistic tradition in the future.
They are joined in tonight's performance by instrumentalists on wind instruments:
Valentina Martic, flute, Lucija Barisic, flute, Eva Tušar Suhadolc, oboe, Ivan Baricevic, oboe, Frano Igor Barovic, horn and Mijo Majic, horn
Discounts apply for a limited time. Each concert at Peristil Vibreza has a limited total number of tickets that can be purchased at a discount. Discounts apply to the following categories of visitors:
Sponsors:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Divertimento in F major, K. 138
Sinfonia concertante in E flat major, K. 364/320d
for violin, viola and orchestra
WA Mozart: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in G major, K. 216
