Mozart & Murphy

Captivating quartet & quintets for historical basset clarinet and strings.

Principal musicians from the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra perform the only two quintets ever written for historical basset clarinet and strings: Mozart’s iconic, beloved Clarinet Quintet, and the shimmering, ocean-inspired Wavelength by Australian composer Nicole Murphy, commissioned by ARCO in 2024. Also featured is Mozart’s String Quartet in C, from his third visit to Milan, when he was only 17. This is a remarkable early example of his characterful chamber music.

Wavelength draws on the ocean and the shimmering tone colours of historical basset clarinet and gut strings, inviting listeners to hear the sun rise on the horizon, the glow of phosphorescent seas at dusk, and a storm unfolding through the night.

There are only two of these instruments in Australia, and this is the first piece written for it since Mozart’s time, commissioned exclusively by ARCO. This concert marks Wavelength’s Melbourne premiere.

www.arco.org.au

Tickets

Standard $55 ($45 Concession)
Student $20
Seniors $50

Please note, seating in the Primrose Potter Salon is General Admission.

A Transaction Fee between $4 and $8.50 applies to orders made online and by phone. Delivery Fees may also apply. A ticket limit of six is in place online to ensure fair ticket access for all. Want to bring a bigger party? Call our Box Office during business hours on (03) 9699 3333 to book.

Artists

Principal musicians from the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra

Nicole van Bruggen historical basset clarinet
Rachael Beesley violin I
Alison Rayner violin II
Stephen King viola
Natasha Kraemer cello

Program

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
String Quartet No.4 in C major, K.157

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Clarinet Quintet in A major, K.581

Nicole Murphy (b.1984)
Wavelength for historical basset clarinet and string quartet (2024 ARCO commission, Melbourne premiere)