Camerata 2018 | Quartet for Oboe, Violin, Violoncello and Piano

Jan DUŠEK: Quintet for Oboe and Strings
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART: Quintet in C minor for Oboe and Strings
Bohuslav MARTINŮ: Quartet for Oboe, Violin, Cello and Piano
Arnold SCHOENBERG: Ode to Napoleon Bonaparte, Op. 41

Camerata 2018

Brian Caspe (narrator)
Vojtěch Jouza (oboe, conductor)
Anna Sommerová (violin)
David Kubita (violin, viola)
Radim Sedmidubský (viola)
Štěpán Filípek (cello)
Jan Dušek (piano)

The Camerata 2018 chamber ensemble presents rarely performed works of various styles, united by their social message and the depth of their musical expression. The concert takes its title, Ode to Napoleon, from Arnold Schoenberg’s composition that closes the evening. This melodrama for narrator, string quartet and piano was written during the Second World War to a text by Lord Byron as a protest against tyranny. Schoenberg used the poem as a metaphor for the Nazi leaders of his time. The result is a powerful anti‑war work that resonates just as strongly today. The narrator will be the American actor Brian Caspe.

The concert opens with the world premiere of Jan Dušek’s Appeal for oboe and string quartet. In this piece, the composer explores the conflict between the individual and society in a tense era that demands hope, faith, but also determination and the strength to stand up for what is right, even in moments of profound solitude.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Oboe Quintet brings darker colours through its minor key. Yet it is not a tragic work; rather, it evokes a sense of inner quiet, contemplation and introspection.

Bohuslav Martinů’s Quartet was written in 1947, the year the composer was recovering from a serious accident, while the post‑war optimism around the world was beginning to fade once again. Despite these tragic circumstances – reflected especially in the slow movement – the outer movements are filled with joyful music that offers a sense of hope.

Tickets are available on-line in GoOut.
More information here: https://www.rudolfinum.cz/en/event/38487--ode-to-napoleon/