La Clemenza di Tito, K. 621: Overture

Description

La Clemenza di Tito (The Clemency of Titus), K. 621 was written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) in 1791 after he had almost finished Die Zauberfl�te (The Magic Flute). Commissioned to celebrate the coronation of Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor, as King of Bohemia, it was written very quickly and was considered to be a weaker work by the young composer. In the 20th century, a reevaluation of the opera has resulted in its inclusion among the fifty most often staged works in the repertoire. Telling the story of the Roman Emperor Titus, and the mercy he showed to his would-be assassins, the original three-act libretto by Pietro Metastasio was adapted by numerous other composers, although Mozart's two-act version was revised by Caterino Mazzol�. The overture sets the tone with dignified grandeur and dramatic urgency, featuring bold orchestral gestures and sharply contrasting themes. Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2: 2.2.0.0: Timp: Str (4.4.3.3.3 in set). Reprint of the edition by Julius Rietz and Franz W�llner, part of the Mozarts Werke series.