Beethoven wrote his sole violin concerto in the year of 1806. It was written for a popular young violinist named Franz Clement, who was beloved most especially for his ability to produce a beautiful lyrical sound in the upper range of the instrument. The concerto was finished only two days before its premiere in December of that year, and was not well received initially. In fact, Clement is said to have performed a flashy composition of his own in between the first and second movements, as he could tell the premiere was not going well. The work deviated from expectations for a concerto at the time in that it is nearly twice the length of a standard classical concerto, and was unusually complex. The relationship between the soloist and the orchestra is also quite unique for the time. Rather than presenting a flashy soloistic concerto showing off the violin and supported by the orchestra, Beethoven writes equally involved orchestral parts. Throughout the concerto, the solo violin often plays an ornamental accompaniment, decorating the melodies heard in the orchestra underneath it. The conversation between the soloist and the orchestra and integration of the violin’s technical passages into the texture of the orchestra creates a highly sophisticated and expressive work in a way unconventional for the time.
The first movement of the concerto opens with an unmistakable motive consisting of four quarter notes, played on the same pitch (D) by the timpani, and it is followed by the initial statement of the main theme, a lyrical melody first presented by the oboe. The opening quarter note motive returns many times throughout the first movement in interruption of other phrases and often in tense harmony. The lyrical melody is heard again when the violin enters, played an octave higher and ornamented, on the highest string of the violin. This was initially written to showcase Clement’s talent for lyrical playing in this range. Each melodic theme in this movement carries with it a sense of gracefulness and dignity which highlights the most sensitive and noble personifications of the violin’s character. This idea is carried into the second movement, in which a theme is ornamented and modified through a series of variations. The horn, which has often been used to represent royalty and decorum in music, is heavily utilized throughout this movement, playing the main theme while the violin decorates with arpeggios above. The third and final movement of the concerto is resemblant of a country dance in character. It is spritely and cheerful, opening with a spirited melody played by the solo violin on the lowest string, perhaps imitating a hunting horn (In this time, a hunt was often a celebratory event). This movement contains aspects of rondo form, wherein the main theme is alternated with contrasting episodes. After the cadenza, the hunting theme returns, but in the wrong key. Beethoven then cleverly resolves this, and the movement comes to a fantastic and exciting conclusion.
Comments