Concerto in D minor for violin and orchestra ROBERT SCHUMANN (1810-1856) On 21 September 1853 Schumann wrote in his personal diary: “I have started a piece for violin”. He then writes that he is “industrious” for the next few days, and on October 1: “The Concerto for violin is finished”. Two days later the new Concerto was “completely orchestrated”. The days spent in sketching and finishing this work were happy and fruitful. Johannes Brahms had arrived for a visit, he and Clara played some of his piano works, some of Schumann’s works, some improvisations and the three sang Brahms’s Lieder. The atmosphere of these days found its echo in Schumann’s Violin Concerto, as he himself said: “It reflects a certain seriousness - with moments of cheerfulness lurking in the background”. Writing for the violin was not an easy task for Schumann. His instrument was the piano. But he had heard the young Joseph Joachim, Mendelssohn’s protégé in Leipzig, while playing in the Lower Rhine Festival and he was very impressed. Therefore he decided to write for him a violin concerto. Joachim did play the solo part on private occasions but Schumman’s wish to have it performed in Düsseldorf ca. 31 mins. was not fulfilled, since a few weeks later he gave up the direction of concerts there and also due to his bad health. The conceto’s structure is in the classic tradition of three movements: fast-slow-fast. The first movement opens with the orchestra playing a magnificent somber theme that begins quietly, quickly reaching forte. The second theme is very lyrical, of which even Joachim spoke affectionately. The material of the opening returns and leads to the entrance of the soloist with the first theme, which is treated with fantasy and vigor in the development. Its entrance into the reprise is managed with panache. The second, lyrical theme returns there in D major, it is effective and bears Schumann’s personal stamp. The second movement is slow and very short, also beginning in somber colors with strings, horns and bassoons. The cellos play restless and syncopated music. To that, the solo violin adds a slow and lyrical melody which makes the syncopated cello music and the violin descant into a dialogue. Towards the end of the movement the violin In kräftigem, nicht zu schnellem Tempo Langsam Lebhaft, doch nicht schnell
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTQ4MDQ5