Program​

Maurice Durufle: Prelude, Recitatif, et Variations Op. 3

Lili Boulanger: Deux Morceaux for Flute and Piano 

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart:  Flute Quartet in D Major K.285 

Felix Mendelssohn: Trio No. 1 in D minor, op. 49 

Date: June 16, 2025
​Time: 7:30pm
Location: Central Presbyterian Church
Address: 7700 Davis Dr, Clayton, MO 63105
Admission: Free

Concert Artists

Jennifer Mazzoni, Flute

Matthew Mazzoni, Piano

Jessie Chen, Violin

Chirs Tantillo, Viola

Jun Seo, Cello

Maurice Durufle: Prelude, Recitatif, et Variations Op.3
Maurice Duruflé, born in 1902, lived his entire life in France. He was a professional organist and composer and the Professor of Harmony at the Paris Conservatory. In 1947, he married Marie-Madeleine Chevalier who was the assistant organist a
St-Étienne-du-Mont, where Duruflé worked as the church organist. Together they became a famous organ playing duo. Duruflé was highly critical of his own compositions and only published 14 works during his lifetime. He would often return to works that had already been published to edit them and make further improvements. He wrote mainly organ, piano, orchestral, and choral works. Duruflé’s Requiem op. 9 was his most famous work. Prelude, Recitatif, et Variations Op. 3, published in 1928, was Duruflé’s only chamber work. Duruflé’s later years were darkened by injuries he sustained in a terrible car accident in 1975. He was mostly housebound after the accident and was unable to fulfill his duties as organist at St-Étienne-du-Mont. He died in 1986 at the age of 84.

Lili Boulanger - Deux Morceaux (Two Pieces) for Flute and Piano
Lili Boulanger (1893-1918) was born in Paris, France. She is the sister of Nadia Boulanger and like Nadia, showed immens musical talent from a young age. By the time she was 5 years old, Lili would accompany Nadia to her classes at the Paris Conservatory. At one point during her education LIli was taking lessons in music theory, organ, piano, violin, cello, and harp! At the age of 19, Lili won the Prix de Rome for her cantata Faust et Helene and became the first woman to ever win this prestigious award. Sadly, Lili was also experiencing many health issues at this time. She had suffered a bad case of pneumonia at the age of two that left her weakened throughout her life. She died at the young age of 24 but only after composing a large library of works and leaving a lasting impression on the musical world.

Lili composed Deaux Morceaux when she was only 19 or 20. The piece was originally written as two separate pieces for solo piano, Nocturne and Cortége. The pieces have since been arranged as duos for piano and other instruments (violin, cello, flute, etc...). Deaux Morceaux shows the great emotional depth that Lili was capable of in her compositions even at a young age and gives reference to her love of the French impressionists, Debussy and Ravel.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Flute Quartet in D Major K.285
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg in January of 1756. Although he lived a short life of only 35 years he composed a huge library of over 800 works! He rivals Beethoven as one of the most famous and important composers of all time. Mozart was a well known prodigy during his lifetime and is still recognized as such today. However, Mozart didn’t compose his Flute Quartet in D major until December of 1777, at the age of 21! During 1777-78, Mozart was living in Mannheim, Germany and working with the orchestra and other musical organizations in the city. Mozart was heavily influenced by the musical scene in Mannheim, which was quite innovative for the time and was known as the Mannheim School. A local amateur flutist, Ferdinand Dejean commissioned a piece by Mozart, and the first flute quartet became the result. The quartet was one of four flute quartets that Mozart would compose. Each one treats the flute as a virtuoso instrument as it takes on the role that would traditionally be played by the first violinist.

Felix Mendelssohn: Trio No. 1 in D minor, op. 49
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) was a German composer, pianist, organist, and conductor. He died at the tragically young age of 38, but was still able to compose a huge library of works during his lifetime. Among his most famous compositions are Midsummer Night’s Dream, Symphony No. 4 (Italian), his Violin Concerto in E Minor, and his String Octet In E-flat Major. Mendelssohn was 30 years old when he composed his Trio No. 1 in D minor. The trio is considered one of Mendelssohn’s most important chamber works alongside his octet. During the original composition process Mendelssohn decided to revise the piano part and change it to be more Schumann-esque in style. This gave the pianist a much more virtuosic and important part. Mendelssohn was influenced and loved by Robert Schumann who apparently claimed that Mendelssohn was the Mozart of the 19th century.

The Mazzoni Duo

Inspired by the beauty around them, the Mazzoni Duo has been presenting music as a dynamic flute and piano ensemble for over 15 years. After meeting in a theory entrance exam in 2003, Matt and Jennifer have brought a “fluid and seamless blending” of their instruments to concert stages nationally and internationally.  Recent winners of the Artist Presentation Society, the duo seeks to present engaging repertoire that energizes and uplifts its audiences. The duo have recorded two albums: Morning by Morning (2017),, a collection of hymns for flute and piano, and Love's Pure Light (2020), a Christmas album for flute and piano.