Did you say classic? But what “classicism” are we talking about? The American pianist and musicologist Charles Rosen presents Mozart's Viennese classical style as a synthesis: the harmonious reconciliation of all the conflicting forces of the last third of the 18th century .century. And it is undoubtedly in his concertos, even more than his symphonies, that one can perceive this convergence of elements of language and musical writing that are sometimes so contradictory. Accompanied melody, virtuoso strokes, skilful counterpoints and wild conversations indeed coexist with the greatest evidence in these strongly structured pages, following the precepts instilled by his father: "The small is great when it is composed in a natural, flowing, easy way , and implemented as required. The structure and the solid frame, the continuity, here is what distinguishes the master from the imbecile, even in trifles! (letter from Leopold to Wolfgang, 1778). Half a century later, we find this relevance in the alliance of contrary forces at all levels of the composition,
to combine the most fiery and inspired impulses of the romantic era with an always balanced conception of form. It is this luminous evidence that the young Sergei Prokofiev seeks when he composes his First Symphony in D major (1916-1917), the shortest of his symphonies. And the composer
to have fun justifying the title of “Classical Symphony” in this way: “…first for the simplicity of the title, then to provoke the Philistines, and with the hope of really winning if the Symphony were to turn out to be truly classical! »
