Transcript GCC - Day 17 present..

• Concerto for 2 Violins, Strings, and Continuo in D Minor, BWV 1043: I. Vivace
• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
• This is Bach’s only concerto for 2 violins (2 soloists)
• Composed for strings and continuo (note the use of the harpsichord)
• Note the long introduction before the soloists appear
• Listen for the interplay between the solo violins
• Listen for repetitions (at least partial or altered) of the opening orchestral
material that serves as bridges between the passages played by the soloists
• Note how the music maintains a constant rhythmic pulse – called “motorrhythmic” – this is common for music of the Baroque
• Violin concerto in E minor, Op. 64: III. Allegro Molto Vivace
• Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
• Violin concerto in 3 movements, premiered in 1845
• Composed for a particular soloist in mind, his childhood friend Ferdinand David
• Unique in the fact that the three movements are linked, with no pause between them
• Composed for violin soloist and full classical orchestra (not as large an orchestra
as Brahms used)
• Eliminates long orchestral introduction that was common before (note the
trumpet fanfare that begins the movement
• Structured in sonata form (exposition, development, recapitulation – and coda)
• Note how the solo violin part is technically demanding – Mendelssohn
conferred constantly with David over a 6-year period composing the piece
• Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 26: Vorspiel (Allegro Moderato)
• Max Bruch (1838-1920)
• German composer, teacher, and conductor of the Romantic Era
• Composed over 200 pieces, including 3 violin concertos
• His Violin Concerto #1 in G minor employs many of the same techniques as
Mendelssohn’s, including eliminating the long orchestral introduction and
linking of the three movements
• Note the opening of the soloist’s material is almost improvisational
• Listen for how the solo part is technically demanding (like Mendelssohn)
• Listen also for the frequent use of “double-stops” by the soloist (two notes
played simultaneously) and trills (rapidly moving back and forth between two
notes)
• Music is passionate, seductive, full of emotion
• Not as structured as Classical and Baroque works (unlike Mendelssohn’s concerto)
• New melodies, ideas are introduced throughout
• there are many changes in tempo and mood throughout
• Listen for the opening “improvisatory” solo material returns towards the end