Mozart, Violin Concerto N° 3

A work that "could only have been written by a man of superior talent..." 

Wolfgang was only 19 when he composed the five Violin Concertos while serving, reluctantly, in the orchestra of his conceited and clumsy patron Colloredo, Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg, where he held the position of first violin.
It had been long since Wolfgang, with his father Leopold, had traveled half of Europe playing the harpsichord with Nannerl, his older sister. Both children had astonished half the world as keyboard players. Still, Wolfgang Amadeus' genius on the violin was only known to those who had been fortunate enough to hear him in Salzburg or at some modest court in the surroundings.

Leopold, who knew something about violins – he had written one of the first pedagogical treatises on the violin in history – once wrote to him in a letter: "...it happens that you are not aware of how well you play the violin". Interestingly, much later, he insisted: "If you had wanted to, you would have become the best violinist in Europe." Leopold was not aware yet that Wolfgang was to become the classical period's greatest composer.

View of Salzburg, 18th century. Engraving by A.F.H. Naumann

A year before the composition of the concertos, Wolfgang had received Colloredo's refusal of his request to travel to Vienna to make himself known and to meet other musicians. He needed to free himself for a while, however briefly, from the dejection of being in the service of His Eminence at the court he detested.

It is likely, then, that the Violin Concertos were composed with a future and definitive departure from the Salzburg court in mind. A sort of preparation and consolidation of repertoire to be presented before the courts, clearly more attractive, in Germany or France. There he could also shine as a violinist, according to his father's suggestions.

For this reason, perhaps, the five Violin Concertos were composed in record time, between April and December 1775. In comparison with the Piano Concertos, it is customary to point out that those composed for violin have a more superficial character, although, in all of them, one can see the excellent knowledge that Wolfgang had of the melodic and graceful style of the Italian school. They constitute, by the way, a precious testimony of the elegance and gallant style that, we imagine, must have been the custom at the court of Salzburg, more than two centuries ago.

Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 3, in G major

Structured in the three traditional movements – fast, slow, fast – this is one of Mozart´s violin concertos most in demand by audiences and performers of our time.

With the American violinist Hilary Hahn as soloist, followed by the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, we present here the performance offered in 2007 on the occasion of Pope Benedict XVI's birthday, in an exquisite hall in the Vatican.

Movements:

00 Allegro   Prototypical gallant finale, though it will be surpassed in gallantry by the finale of the third movement (The cadenzas are Hilary's).

10:35 Adagio   Instead of the usual andante, Mozart incorporates an adagio with a dreamy atmosphere.

21:00 Rondo    It was Mozart himself who, somewhat jokingly and somewhat seriously, said of this movement what we noted at the beginning: "it could only have been written by a man of superior talent". No brilliant finale here, only gallantry. At its end, the piece seems to say goodbye, with supreme elegance, because it needs to take a break.