What's In
The 4 Greatest Classical B's concerts are consisting some of the extraordinary works created by the most significant music personalities, who determined the course of music history in their era. Adelaide Virtuosi trio plays unique arrangements created specifically for their instrumentation. Although were these compositions originally dedicated to solo instruments with orchestral accompaniments or written for different instruments, music universality offers ideal space for finding infinite sound possibilities while maintaining their originality.
Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor
The Concerto for Two Violins was written by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) during the late Baroque period, most likely between 1720 and 1730, however, the exact date of composition has never been confirmed. This well-known piece is a great illustration of Bach's late Baroque stylistic writing and is popularly known as the "Bach Double." It is Bach’s only concerto for two violins with orchestral accompaniment.
The Double Concerto might've been written for two leading violinists in Prince Leopold's orchestra during Bach's tenure as Director of Music for Leopold, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen. Joseph Speiss and Martin Friedrich Marcus, the orchestra's principal violinists, were both well-known musicians at the time. Bach concentrated on instrumental music during this time period, including compositions for solo violin and the Brandenburg Concertos.
Romance for Violin and Piano in F-major
Beethoven’s two romances for violin are the closest of siblings: No. 2 is in F Major, while No. 1 is in G Major. Both were dedicated to the same violin virtuoso, Ignaz Schuppanzigh. No. 2 was published in 1805, two years after No. 1 (although it had been composed in 1798). Musically, No. 2 shares the stately pace and singing quality of No. 1, as well as its rondo structure, which allows Beethoven to repeat the theme with additional material at each iteration. Some listeners hear the melancholy of lost love in this romance’s languorous melody, while others hear a more philosophical musing, poetic and contemplative.
Adagio from the Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D minor
Brahms began composing the concerto during the summer of 1878 while staying at Pörtschach am Wörthersee (the same scenic town where he had composed much of his Second Symphony the year before). Throughout the composition process, Brahms collaborated closely with his friend Joseph Joachim, a young violin virtuoso, seeking his advice on violin technique for the solo part. Though the main work on the concerto was done that summer, Brahms continued to refine the solo part and orchestration together with Joachim even after the premiere performance on New Year’s Day 1879. The concerto that emerged would be one of the great works for the instrument.
Contrary to tradition, Brahms originally planned to compose four movements for this concerto, making it more like a four-movement symphony than a traditional three-movement concerto; during the composing process, however, he wrote to Joachim (with his typically self-deprecating style) that “The middle movements have gone, and of course, they were the best! I have written a meagre Adagio instead.” The second movement is in fact one of Brahms’ loveliest creations. The movement begins with a serenade for woodwinds, alluding to Mozart’s serenades and divertimentos for similar ensembles. The oboe takes the lead in this nocturne with a simple, pastoral melody in F major. The soloist then enters with a variation on this theme.
A contemporary response to the concerto was initially mixed; for instance, the Viennese gave the concerto an enthusiastic reception while Berliners were more restrained. For several years Brahms withheld the concerto from publication to give Joachim exclusive access to the piece, but even after the concerto was published Joachim remained its only interpreter for some time. In the end, however, it is precisely the “symphonic” qualities that helped the concerto stand the test of time; in a way, the work is a manifesto for the values of musical integrity and substance that both Brahms and Joachim stood for. It seems they were right because this concert belongs to those mostly performed on world stages nowadays.
Romanian Folk Dances
Every great composer may be said to be unique, but Bela Bartók's artistic position in the world of twentieth-century music stands apart. He was a Hungarian pianist and ethnomusicologist who also happened to compose, and as his career evolved, he contributed some of the most esteemed and respected works to the standard repertoire. His was a musical style that was founded upon an intimate knowledge of the great styles and techniques of the past; a seminal appreciation of the possibilities of integrating the materials of Central European folk music into art music; and uncommon elegance, restraint, and sophistication. His innovations in textures, harmonies, colours and structure laid the foundations for myriad others who followed.
The Romanian Folk Dances, in many ways, are exhibit "A" in Bartók's integration of these ethnic materials into his personal musical style. Composed in 1915 as a suite of six brief movements for solo piano, he went on to transcribe them for small orchestra in 1917. The melodies are from the Transylvanian region of Romania, and were originally performed on flute or violin. The first dance, "Stick Dance;' Bart6k related that he had heard played by two Gypsies. The second dance, "Sash Dance;' was danced with just that, and the third dance, "Pe loc," in Romanian, means "in one spot:' A dance from a district in Romania originally called Bucium constitutes the fourth movement, with the fifth movement being a kind of Romanian polka. Finally two tunes played in quick succession make up the last movement. All of the melodies use the scales of the traditional modes-which are the same scales used in Gregorian chant, and are the oldest elements of Western music. But, one can also hear traditional melodic intervals from the Middle East, as well. The infectious rhythms and exotic scales of these folk dances are simply delightful, and are fundamental, but elegant, testimony to the unique orientation of this giant of twentieth-century music.