With the “Prague” Symphony we are entering Mozart’s last great symphonies — the ones that start to become truly demanding and that raise the stakes for our challenge. And the day did put us to the test.

 

The rehearsal was intense from the very beginning. The orchestral setup was not ideal: fewer violins compared to the rest of the strings, only one trumpet, and a single double bass. Still, the strings responded well, with attention and willingness, and that helped maintain a certain stability.

 

The most evident issues came from the winds, especially in the second movement. We spent quite a long time on some sustained notes in the Andante, trying to achieve a more stable intonation. It wasn’t fully resolved, but at some point you have to accept the limits of time and move on.

 

One thing that struck me was the audience’s attention during the rehearsal. Not just presence, but real, focused listening, even in the more demanding moments of the work. At the end there was applause, which is not so common, and it felt like a clear sign.

 

The concert went well overall. The beginning of the first movement had some uncertainty, probably also due to the fatigue accumulated during the afternoon, but as the performance went on, the energy gradually grew. The second movement found its balance and, to me, worked well in terms of musical ideas and expression. In the finale there was some fatigue at the beginning, then things gradually settled.

 

The winds remained the most delicate point also in the concert: a few imprecise entries and some intonation issues. Nothing serious, but enough to be noticeable in certain passages.

 

We repeated the finale as an encore, without repeats, and the difference was clear: slightly faster (just right!), with more energy and a stronger sense of both drama and playfulness.

 

Beyond all this, clear musical ideas emerged. Not always fully realized, but present. And for me, that is the most important point.

 

The “Prague” is a difficult symphony. And in a context like this, with only one rehearsal, even more so. It’s part of the game.