Let’s continue onwards with the Mozart’s fourth violin concerto. Yesterday had some surprising moments in the second and thirds movements especially, so I don’t know what to expect with today’s.
The Recording
Same as yesterday. I’m listening to Nikolaus Harnoncourt lead the Vienna Philharmonic with Gidon Kremer on solo violin.
Violin Concerto no. 4 in D, K. 218
1. Allegro
- Stately arpeggio opening.
- Lots of rhythmic variety in orchestra exposition.
- Lots of dissonances on the beat that resolve on the second note.
- Very active solo.
- Strings get a lot of variety. Horns and woodwinds less so.
- Lots of showing off.
- Some nice imitative entrances between all instruments.
- Again: thrilling cadenza from Mr. Kremer.
2. Andante cantabile
- Very sentimental. Pretty melodies. Emotional dynamic swells. Active orchestra. Pathetique in a sense.
3. Rondeau (Andante grazioso – Allegro ma non troppo)
- Andante grazioso goes by very quickly.
- Light melodies and rhythms. Very charming.
- Ah, and back to the Andante grazioso. So he’s using the rhythmic changes as part of the rondeau structure.
- Exciting buildup to the modulation to minor, as brief as it lasts.
- Ha. Some funny effects from the soloist during the third time in Andante grazioso.
- These performers are exaggerating some funny aspects of this piece. I’m not sure if some of their choices are common practice for this.
- It is a humorously assembled movement…
- Oh yea, the ending sounds like it’s going to be a blow out, and then it fades into nothingness. This is what Mozart was going for.
Takeaways
Again, this is a solid concerto with some surprised, and there’s a lot of that characteristic Mozart humor. I’ve spent the day working on my taxes, so I’m very grateful for it. The first movement is solid, though it feels like a bit of a warmup. The second is very emotional, though it’s not especially heavy. The third uses instrument effects and structural choices to give it an air of levity and occasional outright humor.
Until next time.
