Czech Philharmonic ⬩ Variations

Ludwig van Beethoven’s (1770–1827) Violin Concerto places immense demands on musicians. Compared to Beethoven’s other compositions, it is an unusually lyrical piece in which the composer makes frequent use of pastoral motifs. Especially worth noting is the middle movement, Larghetto. The solo violin plays mainly in the upper registers, and the melodies are built on simple scale progressions or broken chords. The orchestra primarily plays the role of harmonic anchor, and in some places the pulse of the music nearly comes to a halt. Altogether, the impression is one of an intimate testament that, in the end, is interrupted by the playful virtuoso motif of the subsequent rondo movement.