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a conductor
A more varied orchestra including clarinets (Bb)
Prominence of melody and accompaniment
Symphony, sonata, string quartet , concerto
Alberti bass
Graded dynamics
Sonata form
Fewer ornaments than Baroque music
Quick change of mood
The Background
Concerto in D major for Violin & Orchestra, op. 61
Written & performed in 1806
Composed for violinist Franz Clement a benefit concert to raise money
for Clement. Musicians often did this to supplement their income when
they were not well-paid.
Orchestral musicians would offer their services for free to help out their
fellow musicians.
Performed in the Theater an der Wien in Vienna (23 rd December 1806)
First performance was not a success the piece became neglected for
several decades afterwards.
The work was supposedly finished so late that there wasnt any time for
any proper rehearsals.
Beethoven later arranged it for piano (his own instrument) but again, it
was not really a success.
The piece was composed for Franz Clement to play but was dedicated to
Stephan von Breuning.
Beethoven only wrote one Violin Concerto in his lifetime.
Vienna.
Known for his virtuosic playing able to briefly look at a complex
piece of music and play it from memory.
Known for his antics playing his violin upside down, only using one
string.
Stephan von Breuning close friend to Beethoven from childhood.
Beethoven taught the younger Breuning children the piano in the
1780s.
Lived together in Vienna for a short time in 1804.
He put up with Beethovens fiery outbursts and
mistreatment.
Remained friends until the end dying just 2 months
apart from each other.
Instruments
Strings violins I & II, violas
The Soloist
Enters at bar 89 after the opening orchestral section.
Continues to play for most of the time after this some
passages are orchestral only for variety & to give the soloist a
rest.
There is evidence that soloists did play in the orchestra-only
sections of concertos during Beethovens time including this
one!
Soloist sometimes plays without accompaniment, usually
supported by some (if not all) of the orchestra.
Has music which is considerably more difficult technically than
the orchestral strings parts goes extremely high (bars 100101) no double stopping though until near the end.
Beethoven liked double stopping listen to his Romance in G
(op. 40) & Violin Sonata no. 9 in A major (op. 47).
The Cadenza
In the Classical period:
Showy passage improvised by the soloist (alone).
Soloists in the 18 th century were expected to be able to improvise it had to sound like it was
made up on the spot.
Came near the end of the first movement sometimes in other movements.
Normally provided an extended prolonging of the V in an important Ic-V-I (perfect) cadence
followed by an orchestral tutti.
Completed by a long trill signal to the orchestra to prepare to play again.
Draws on the themes from the movement , combined with the soloists own elaborations and
ideas.
In practice, for safety, many soloists wrote out their cadenzas beforehand.
Usually a soft ending - meaning the coda beings quietly before an extravagant ending.
In this set work:
Indicated in the score by a minim E with trill and pause signs (bar 510 3-4).
Followed by a mostly quiet & light second closing passage in which the soloist continues to play
more pastoral in character.
Not normally improvised in present day performances cadenzas composed by Joseph Joachim
(1831-1907) and Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962) are often used.
Beethoven hadnt finished the work until moments before the first performance a cadenza
couldnt be pre-arranged.
Beethoven wrote cadenzas for the piano version of this work some violinists adapt these for the
violin.
Recap
1. What is a cadenza?
2. When was the violin concerto written?
3. Where was it first performed?
4. Who was the concerto written for?
5. What was a benefit concert?
6. At which bar number does the soloist enter?
7. Who developed the modern bow technique?
8. Which two names helped the revival of the piece in
1844?
9. What is natural brass?
10. How many flutes were used in this piece?
Directed Study
Look at the key features of the Classical period and
Beethoven
The basics of sonata form.
TASK: What do you think the differences between a
motif and theme are?
Classical period.
The basics of sonata form is as follows:
Introduction usually short
Exposition split into 2 sections
Italian Terms
TASK: Find the following terms in your Beethoven score and
translate them.
Sweetly
Expressively
Pizzicato, plucked
A little crescendo, very gradually getting louder
Trill, rapidly alternate two neighbouring pitches
Always soft
Suddenly loud, then quiet
Play on the D and G strings
Sforzando, a strong accent
Recap
1. What is the significance of Beethoven writing
sul D e G?
2. What is ritornello form?
3. What is the importance of the exposition?
4. What is an episode?
5. What is the difference in tonality between the exposition
and the recapitulation?
6. How many themes are in the exposition?
7. Who invented the new violin bow technology?
8. What signals the end of a cadenza?
9. Which bar does the soloist enter the piece?
10. When was the Violin Concerto first composed and
performed?
Directed Study
Write a response to the following title:
Associated names
Violin technology
Crooked/valveless brass
Benefit concerts
Beethoven
The Analysis.
TASK: As a class, explain the circumstances in which
Beethoven created his Violin Concert in D major. You
can only use one word each sentences must make
sense!
ORCHESTRA EXPOSITION.
TASK: Mark the following into your Beethoven score
First subject group
1a
Bar 1
1b
Bar
10
1c
Bar
18
1d
Bar
28
1e
Bar
35
Bar
43
2b
Bar
51
1b
Bar
65
2c
Bar
77
Thematic
material
Orchestra
Violin Solo
126 - 133
1c
D minor
Strings
134 - 143
1e
Modulating to
the dominant
key
Antiphony
between
woodwind and
string
144-151
2a
A major
Clarinets and
bassoons in 3rds;
pizzicato cellos
basses
152 - 165
2b
Dominant minor,
A minor
Melody in first
violins and violas,
with pizzicato
chords
166-177
1b
Sustained strings;
dominant pedal
in oboes and
clarinets.
Analysis: Development
Begins with the dramatic entrance of the tutti
Analysis: Recapitulation
The recapitulation ends with a reprise of the
Analysis: Coda
At bar 511 the violin solo continues with the
with the sound of the solo violin and with the string section.
Important themes are introduced by the woodwind section.
The woodwind can either play themes as a full section of play
melodic lines in unison, octaves, 3rds, 6ths accompanied by
strings.
Woodwind instruments are used as a section in homophonic
writing, reinforcing the rhythm in the full orchestra or holding a
chord while the strings play a more energetic rhythmic figure.
The woodwind can be used to strengthen melodic lines by
doubling the strings.
Harmony continued
Creates a placid pastoral mood calm &
serene.
The unaccompanied D#s that follow are
mysterious, strangely intrusive and puzzling
both harmonically and psychologically if
these werent here could it be almost too
serene?
Disturbing dissonant F natural in bar 207
and Bb in bar 481.
Bar 28 tutti orchestra enter in Bb major
creates a surprising and dramatic effect
distant key to the tonic D major.
Recap
1. The tonic-dominant switch should occur in standard
Directed Study
Complete the deeper analysis table for
Bars
Orch./Solo
1-17
Orch.
Ritornello
Section
Key
Exp. I
1st subject:
10-17: includes descending stepwise melody in str. and new version of Motif
1.
Bridge passage:
Dm
2nd subject:
43-64: theme 3 (wdwd without fl.: lyrical melody begins with ascending
stepwise movement), and development thereof.
77-88: theme 4 (closing theme or codetta, beginning with rising triad shape).
D;
Dm, F
(51-64)
Link
D V-I
Exp. II
18-27
28-41
Orch.
(mostly full)
42-88
Orch. (full
towards
end)
89-1011
Solo
101-117
1st
118-125
Orch.
126-142
Solo
Dm, F,
Am, A
1431951
A, Am, C,
ending in
D
195-223
Bars
Orch./S
olo
Ritornello
Section
Key
224237
Orch.
2nd
Devel.
Am
A, Am, C
238262
262283
Orch.
A, C, F
C D(?
m), Bm,
Em, Am,
D, Gm, Eb
284364
Solo
365381
382385
386417
Orch.
(full at
first)
Recap.
Solo
418496
497510
Orch.
3rd
Bridge passage:
Compare 18-21, re-orchestrated (theme 2).
Bridge passage:
Initially based on 18-21
Some new development of theme 2
Ends with cadenza-like passage on D V.
D. G. Em
Dm, ends
D Ic
Beethoven
Further Analysis & End of unit Assessment
TASK: Continue to read through your notes in
preparation for the end of unit assessment.
Further Analysis
TASK: Work through the exercises based on
Beethovens Violin Concerto. They are designed
to help you to look a little bit deeper at the
score a skill that you will need in the Summer
examination.
Directed Study
Continue to work through the Beethoven
Further Reading
An important part of A-level studying is reading
around your subject and allowing yourself the
time to research and investigate away from
what is covered in lessons at college.
Beethoven: Violin Concerto by Robin Stowell
(1804-1808)
Symphony No. 7 in A major, 2nd movement
(1811)
Moonlight Sonata (1801)
Fur Elise (1810)
Fidelio opera (1805)