Mozart: Violin Concertos, Vol. 2

Featuring

Sir Roger Norrington
Francesca Dego
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Did you know?

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Compositional Technique

The 'Turkish' episode in the Rondeau finale of Violin Concerto No. 5, KV 219, is a long, radically contrasting section in A minor, which could be played as a standalone piece.

Historical Context

Leopold Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's father, published the famous treatise 'Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule' (Treatise on a Thorough Violin School), which remains a significant source for 18th-century violin performance practice.

Performer Biography

Francesca Dego, the violinist, was the first Italian female prize-winner in nearly 50 years at the prestigious Premio Paganini in Genoa, where she also received an award for being the youngest finalist.

Composition History

Mozart wrote the last four of his five violin concertos between June and December 1775, before his twentieth birthday.

Critical Reception

Unlike Mozart's piano concertos, his five violin concertos were rarely performed for seventy years after his death, only gaining interest with late 19th-century editions by violinists like Joseph Joachim.

Interpretation

Sir Roger Norrington, the conductor, emphasizes six 'S's' for historically informed performance: Sources, Size, Seating, Speed, Sound, and Style, drawing on 18th-century practices.

Composer Biography

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was an excellent violinist who frequently performed as a soloist, not just a pianist, during his early years in Salzburg and on European tours.