Beethoven - Triple Concerto In C Major

The tradition of the Baroque concerto grosso, a form where a small group of soloists were juxtaposed with the orchestra, was carried on into the Classical era by composers, most notably Mozart. He wrote works for more than one soloist and orchestra and called them Sinfonia Concertante.  These works were considered a sort of hybrid between a symphony and concerto, but the main difference was that the Baroque concerto grosso had some movements written in ritornello form while the sinfonia concertante used sonata form. Beethoven's Triple Concerto (also known as Concerto For Violin, Cello, Piano and Orchestra) was written in 1803 (also the year in which he composed the Third Symphony).

Anton Schindler, Beethoven's first biographer, secretary and acquaintance, claimed that the Triple Concerto was written for Beethoven's young royal pupil Archduke Rudolf (the same Archduke that Beethoven dedicated his Piano Trio In B-flat Major, Opus 97 to). The piano part of the concerto does not equal the difficulty of the other soloists, a fact that has lead some to agree with Schindler, as the Ardchduke was a young teenager when the concerto was written and would not have had the technique for anything more difficult.  But Beethoven scholars have shown over the years that Schindler was a man whose words needed to be taken with a grain of salt. There is no evidence that the Archduke ever played the work (which is not to say that he didn't) which had its first public performance in 1808. When it was published, the concerto had a dedication to someone else, another one of Beethoven's royal patrons, Prince Lobkowitz, but Beethoven could be fickle (not to mention absentminded) about such things. The concerto is in three movements:

I. Allegro -  The concerto begins quietly and gradually builds in volume.  There are three main themes introduced by the orchestra alone. The cello is the first soloist to enter with the first theme. Violin and cello expand upon the first theme, and the piano enters with the theme.  Each of the soloists has a turn with the three themes, or parts of them. The development gives the trio of soloists further opportunity to dialogue with each other.  The orchestra asserts itself a few times but for the most part remains in the background.  The recapitulation has the soloists review the themes, which leads to a coda that quickens the tempo and while the orchestra plays full chords the soloists bring the movement to a close.

II. Largo -  The orchestra begins this movement (in the key of A-flat major) in a solemn, quiet mood. The cello enters with the theme of the movement, the piano embellishes it. The violin and cello play the theme in a duet as the piano gently accompanies. A short, dark section for orchestra leads to the soloists playing fragments of other themes, which leads to the last movement without pause.

III.  Rondo alla polacca -  As with the first two movements, the cello is the first soloist to play the main theme of this movement which is in the style of a polonaise, a Polish dance. Themes abound in this movement, all of them rhythmically in keeping with the 'polacca' designation. The music takes a minor key turn as the soloists take turns playing thematic material and accompaniment while the orchestra adds color. The polonaise returns, has its say until the tempo quickens.  The soloists play together without the orchestra, and then the soloists wind up the movement by playing rapid figures as the orchestra supplies the punctuation until the end.

Writing for three soloists offered Beethoven many challenges, not least of which was how to have each soloist shine without making the work too long or undermining form. Compared to the 'Waldstein' and 'Appassionata' piano sonatas  and the Third Symphony that he was composing at about the same time, the Triple Concerto may appear small potatoes to some.  But the Triple Concerto has to be looked at (and heard) in a different way. Beethoven did more than extend the concerto grosso and sinfonia concertante traditions with this work. There is a kind of synthesis between concerto, symphony and chamber music (specifically in  the form of the piano trio). This is a quite remarkable achievement, a showcase of Beethoven's huge talent and craftsmanship that's hardly small potatoes.



  

Mozart - Bassoon Concerto In B-flat Major K. 191/186e

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's only existing bassoon concerto was written in 1774 when he was eighteen years old.  He was already an experienced composer with over 25 symphonies, a dozen string quartets and a few Italian operas to his credit, but this was his first attempt at a concerto for woodwinds. Many times composers would write concertos with a specific soloist in mind, so he may have written it for one of the Salzburg orchestra's bassoonists, or possibly a rich amateur bassoonist, but there is no evidence one way or the other.

The bassoon that Mozart wrote for was much different than the modern bassoon in that there were only four or five keys on the instrument, which made some of the semitones and chromatic runs difficult to play in tune.  Mozart understood the instrument very well, as he writes most of the solo part in the singing tenor part of the instrument's range, although he does showcase the rich low notes occasionally.

The solo part is still challenging enough for the instrument that excerpts from the concerto are used as audition material for orchestral tryouts to this day.  The concerto is written for soloist, two oboes, two horns, and the usual compliment of strings. It is in three movements:

I. Allegro -  Mozart shows his mastery of sonata form in the first movement as the orchestra introduces the two themes. The first begins straight away, with the two horns heard prominently. The second theme begins seamlessly after the first and is slightly different in character, after which a short motif leads to the entrance of the soloist, who enters with a decorated version of the first theme. Rapid arpeggios, notes low in the range of the instrument and rapid repeated notes are just a few of the challenges for the soloist.  The second theme also gets expanded by the soloist. A short development section leads to a short bassoon solo before the recapitulation. A cadenza for the soloist leads to the final statement by the orchestra.

II. Andante ma Adagio - The bassoon's flexibility as a singing instrument is showcased in this movement. The unique tempo indication means at a moving pace but slowly, a nuanced instruction for the time.  The strings are muted, the soloist again plays mostly in the tenor range with a few low notes for the sake of expression.

III. Rondo: tempo di menuetto - The movement begins in the form as well as the tempo of a minuet, but when the soloist enters its clear that this is a rondo.  There are two episodes and two short repeats of the minuet before the soloist gets a chance to play the minuet. After a very short solo for the bassoon the orchestra plays the minuet once more and ends the work 

  Mozart .

Bruch - Violin Concerto No. 1 In G Minor

While many concertos for violin were written by virtuoso violinists, the acknowledged masterpieces of the genre were written by non-violinist composers. There are of course exceptions, such as Wieniawski's Violin Concerto No. 2 In D Minor, but the violin concertos of  Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Brahms and Tchaikovsky are the acknowledged masterpieces of the genre. While these composers were not virtuosos of the instrument, often times they had the assistance of violinists who gave them advice on the technical aspects of their works.

Another of the non-violinist composers was Max Bruch, who finished composing his popular Violin Concerto No. 1 in 1866, although the concerto was begun as early as 1857.  Bruch also had a violinist assist him in the technical aspect of the solo part, Johann Naret-Koning, the concertmaster of the Mannheim Orchestra. Bruch conducted the premiere later in 1866, and made substantial revisions to the work shortly thereafter. The violinist who gave Bruch help with the revision was Joseph Joachim, who twelve years later gave advice to Brahms on his violin concerto. Bruch's revised concerto was given its first performance by Joachim,and it was a rousing success. It was not only Bruch's first major composition for orchestra, but was the work that brought him his earliest fame.

As with any exceedingly popular work, the first violin concerto came to overshadow Bruch's other compositions, especially those for violin and orchestra. He composed two more concertos for violin, but neither came close to the popularity of the first. Bruch grew quite vexed about the whole thing, not only from an artistic viewpoint, but because he had sold the work to a publisher for a one-time payment and never reaped any of the benefits of the concertos repeated performances. it is in three movements:

I. Vorspiel: Allegro moderato -  Bruch designates the first movement vorspiel, or prelude. This acts as an extended introduction to the slow movement. The work begins with a quiet roll of the timpani, the orchestra follows with a short section, after which the violin plays a short cadenza. The orchestra and violin alternate like this again. The orchestra then increases in volume and leads to the first theme by the violin. A second theme of a more lyrical nature is played by the violin.  The violin embellishes the first theme, and the orchestra plays a section that recalls the drama of the opening. The music grows more quiet and the orchestra and violin alternate twice as in the beginning. The orchestra once again plays a short interlude that leads to the slow movement without a break.

II. Adagio - This movement has three powerfully romantic themes that are presented by the soloist with a gently moving orchestral accompaniment. The movement builds to a powerful climax after which it reaches a peaceful end. The last movement begins directly after.

III. Finale: Allegro energico -  A short introduction is played by the orchestra before the violin presents the dancing first theme of the finale, which is adorned with multiple stops.  The second theme is begun by the orchestra before it is clarified by the soloist. There is a short development section based on the first theme, which leads to the recapitulation of both themes. In the coda the tempo increases as the first theme returns as the violin plays virtuoso figures and fragments of the first theme before it rises to the top of its range. The movement ends with two brief chords.

Sibelius - Violin Concerto In D Minor

Jean Sibelius is most well known as a conductor and one of the great composers of the 20th century, but in his early years his dream was to be a violin virtuoso. He began to play the piano and violin at a very early age, but didn't commence formal study of the violin until he was sixteen.  He made rapid progress and played in the violin section of a local orchestra, and went on to play in a string quartet.

He continued his studies at the Helsinki Institute and played second violin in the school's string quartet as well

as in the string section of the school orchestra. After Sibelius graduated from the Institute he studied in Berlin for two years and concentrated on composing while still playing chamber music with friends. When he returned to Finland he taught violin for a short time, appeared in concert as a soloist and performed in an orchestra in Helsinki until 1896.  It was about this same year that Sibelius gave up on his dreams for a career as a virtuoso. As Sibelius himself said:

It was a very painful awakening when I had to admit that I had begun my training for the exacting career of a virtuoso too late.

Sibelius continued to play the violin privately for over thirty years until tremors in his hands made him stop.

He started to plan his violin concerto in 1899 (the only concerto Sibelius ever wrote), and completed the work in 1904. Sibelius didn't finish the work soon enough for the soloist to study the solo part in depth, so as a result the first performance was not well received.  The first version of the concerto had one of the most difficult solo violin parts ever written, so Sibelius removed the work and revised it, making it slightly less difficult and more well balanced. The concerto is in three movements:

I. Allegro moderato - The movement begins with almost inaudible figures in the strings. The soloist enters shortly after with the first theme. This theme begins to be developed immediately. The strings enter in a louder section that announces the second theme first sounded in the woodwinds.  The development section leads to an extended cadenza for the soloist before the recapitulation begins. A rapid and dramatic coda tosses out the themes once more before the end of the movement.

II. Adagio di molto - This movement is in B-flat major and begins with a short introduction by the woodwinds which leads to a lyrical theme by the soloist.  The middle section increases the drama of the music, after which the violin begins to sing its theme again. The movement ends in hushed beauty.

III. Allegro ma non tanto -  The movement opens with a rhythmic figure in the bass, and the soloist enters with the first theme. A second theme played by the orchestra sounds like battle music complete with the snarling of muted horns.  Sibelius throws all kinds of technical demands on the soloist throughout the movement, making it not only one of the most recognizable of the violin concerto literature but also one of the most difficult. The movement draws to an end with the full orchestra playing loud staccato chords while the soloist glides up and down the fingerboard.

Sibelius' realization that he was not destined to be a violin virtuoso probably frustrated and disappointed him, which may have came out in his writing for the violin concerto.  He certainly had the practical and technical knowledge of the instrument if not the virtuoso technique, so he may have envisioned himself as the soloist if things would have turned out differently.

Rossini - Introduction, Theme and Variations for Clarinet and Orchestra

Gioachino Rossini is more well known for his operas, some of which have remained in the repertoire since they were written early in the 19th century. By the time Rossini retired from composing for the stage in 1829 when he was thirty eight years old, he was the most well known and popular opera composer in Europe.

Rossini lived until 1868 and composed a few songs, sacred music and a set of pieces in 14 volumes calledSins of My Old Age. But when Rossini began his career as a composer he also wrote a piece for clarinet and orchestra that has been popular with clarinetists and audiences ever since. He wrote Introduction, Theme and Variations for Clarinet and Orchestra when he was 18 years old.

Introduction - Andante - The work begins with a loud call from the orchestra to get the listener's attention (an effect Rossini often used in his opera overtures). The volume recedes as the soloist enters. Rossini treats the clarinet as he would an operatic diva as the clarinet plays a sweet melody. A short crescendo from the orchestra is followed by more virtuosic music from the soloist.

Theme - Allegretto - Rossini's theme is a perky tune that challenges the articulation abilities of the soloist.

Variation I -  Piu mosso - The pace quickens slightly as the clarinet embellishes the theme. A short interlude by the orchestra leads to the next variation.

Variation II - Running sixteenth notes dominate the solo part as the brisk pace is continued. Another short interlude by the orchestra leads to the next variation.

Variation III -  Arpeggios, repeated notes and scales are played by the soloist in this variation as the strings play pizzicato. The interlude from the previous variation is repeated by the orchestra.

Variation IV - Largo minore - Piu mosso - A tempo - The tempo slows as the clarinet plays a soulful version of the theme.  The clarinet's range of expression and volume is showcased by Rossini in this variation. The tempo quickens in an orchestra lead up to the last variation.

Variation V -  There's a lot of notes for the soloist in this last variation as the clarinet plays at break neck speed. The orchestral interlude heard at the end of the 2nd and 3rd variation returns along with more fireworks for the clarinet. The orchestra turns silent as the clarinet plays a cadenza, after which a short coda rounds off  the work with a statement by the orchestra and a rapid scale that ascends to the clarinet's highest register.

There is some debate among musicologists whether Rossini actually composed this piece. Some contend that he wrote the theme and a student wrote the variations.  Whether we shall ever know for sure or not doesn't detract from the music itself.  Whomever composed the piece wrote a sparkling set of variations for the clarinet.

Wölfl - Piano Concerto No. 5 In C Major 'Grand Concerto Militaire'

 Joseph Wölfl studied music with Leopold Mozart and Michael Haydn in his hometown of Salzburg and gave his first public performance as a violin soloist when he was seven years old, but he took the piano as his main instrument and went on to become one of the most well-known virtuosos of his time.

He moved to Vienna in 1790 and he must have cut an impressive figure as he walked to the piano to perform as he was over six feet tall. He had massive hands, some contemporaries said he could span a thirteenth. The Vienna of the 1790's was a city bursting with pianists that wanted to make a name for themselves, and the way to do that was to earn a reputation by playing in the salons of  upper class citizens and royalty that lived in Vienna. These pianists were expected to play their own compositions, but an even greater distinction was how well the pianist could improvise. Pianists would create music on the spot from themes given to them by members of the audience or a theme of their own creation. This ability was a large part of the music scene for many years. Bach, Handel, and Mozart were masters of improvisation, but the pianist with the highest reputation in the skill of improvisation in late 18th century Vienna was Beethoven.

Piano improvisation became something of a spectator sport, for rival pianists would engage in competitions with each other, and the audience would determine the winner.  These competitions are the ancestors of the cutting competitions of jazz and blues pianists that began in the 1920's and are still done on occasion.

There are documented examples of Beethoven taking part in these competitions, and he always was determined to be the better improviser.  In 1799 Wölfl engaged in a competition of this sort with Beethoven, who created his usual furor with his skills. Wölfl's reputation (and probably his pride as well) was hurt by the loss and he soon left Vienna for Paris. He ended up in London where he remained until his death in 1812. The 5th concerto was written while he was in London. It is in three movements:

I. Allegro - In the highly competitive market of music in early 19th century Europe, many compositions had the words great, grand, or other such superlatives in their titles.  As Wölfl was nothing if not competitive as well as self-promoting this concerto followed suit. The military designation in the title refers to the trumpet solo that ushers in the first theme which also is in the spirit of a military march.  The secondary theme  changes the military march feeling to a slightly gentler one in feeling and rhythm.  The piano enters with the march theme and expands upon it as well as the second theme. There is added material for the piano that was not heard in the beginning section of the exposition. The march theme is developed fully until the orchestra quotes the march theme at the beginning of the recapitulation. The piano repeats themes with the obligatory key changes.  Wölfl doesn't leave the cadenza to the whim of the soloist as he writes it out in full. After the cadenza, the orchestra finishes the movement in the mood of the military march without the piano.

II. Andante -  The piano begins he movement with a simply decorated melody. The orchestra takes up the tune until the piano reenters in a minor key episode that leads back to the mellow feeling of the beginning. The soloist plays florid, decorative figures as the movement winds down. The third movement begins without a break.

III. Finale: Allegro -  A catchy tune begins the finale. This tune is heard primarily in the piano. A second theme is played by the orchestra. The piano enters with another theme, a brief key change is followed by the second theme in the orchestra and piano. A short cadenza by the piano leads to the orchestra and piano playing the first theme one more time, after which the piano briefly expands on a theme. The tempo quickens and the orchestra ends the finale without the piano.

Wölfl's 5th Piano Concerto is not typical of one written by a virtuoso pianist in that it is not outwardly brilliant for effect. While the piano has plenty to do, the orchestra is almost an equal partner.  Wölfl's piano concertos (he wrote 7 of them) have been compared to Mozart's but he is a minor composer compared to Mozart or the man that shamed him in defeat to leave Vienna, but his music is well written and worth an occasional listen.

Wieniawski - Violin Concerto No. 2 In D Minor

In his lifetime Henryk Wieniawski was first and foremost thought of as one of the premiere violinists of his age, but he also began composing while still a child.  His life as a traveling virtuoso (and his death at 44) kept his opus numbers to a meager 24 with a few other works that were never published or published without opus numbers.

The premiere of Wieniawski's 1st Violin Concerto In F-sharp Minor  was a success that perhaps was due to
the composer's brilliant playing because the work has never became part of the repertoire. History has proven that while it is an interesting work that contains some beautiful music, the imbalance between the long first movement and the brevity of the other two movements (not to mention the very difficult solo part) makes it a difficult work to play and bring off musically. With the 2nd Concerto Wieniawski tightened up his writing and form. While the solo part is still very technically challenging, Wieniawski has technique serve the music instead of music serving technique. The 2nd Concerto is a standard in the repertoire. It is in three movements:

I. Allegro moderato -  The orchestra introduces the themes of the movement straight away. The first theme is an impassioned one in the home key of D minor. A secondary theme in F major that is mostly carried in the woodwinds and horns appears. The first theme returns and builds to a climax that ushers in the soloist who changes the mood to a lyrical one. Snatches of the first theme appear in the orchestra but the solo violin remains in its lyrical mood until it sputters out some virtuoso passages, but it soon returns to its lyrical side as it seems more interested in the second theme than the first.  Music for the soloist turns more virtuosic as the first theme is varied and expanded. This leads to a section for the full orchestra that plays a passionate version of the first theme and parts of the second until the music grows somewhat quiet, but the first theme is heard in full volume. The music grows quiet again with the clarinet playing a solo that leads directly to the second movement. Wieniawski avoids the problem of his top-heavy 1st Violin Concerto by truncating his first movement by removing the recapitulation section,  thus shortening the movement but also eliminating a cadenza. By the time of the premiere of this concerto in 1862 composers were slowly eliminating cadenzas in their works, probably because not every soloist could devise a cadenza that fit in with the rest of the first movement.

II. Romance: Andante non troppo -  The movement is in B-flat major and the violin sings one of the most beautiful melodies written for it. The music builds until a climax is reached shortly before the ending. The violin plays ascending scale and comes to rest on a high note as the orchestra plays a quiet accompaniment.

III. Allegro con fuoco – Allegro moderato à la Zingara -  A short solo for the violin prepares the way for a rondo movement in gypsy style.  The soloist brings back the second theme of the first movement in two of the episodes between the repeats of the rondo theme, bringing a formal unity to the work that was missing in his first concerto.