Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791), baptised as Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the classical era. According to Bartje Bartmans one of the greatest and brightest stars on the firmament.
Adagio for violin & orchestra in E major, K. 261 (1776)
Cadence: Arthur Grumiaux
Arthur Grumiaux, violin and the New Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Raymond Leppard
Rec. April 1967
Description by Brian Robins [-]
Mozart's works for violin and orchestra were largely composed in Salzburg between 1773 and 1776. It is not known whether they were written for Mozart, a fine violinist himself, or a member of the Salzburg court orchestra. The oft-repeated assertion that they were composed for the Italian violinist Antonio Brunetti, the leader of the Salzburg orchestra, has been challenged on the grounds that Brunetti was not appointed leader until 1776, the year following the completion of the concertos. However, Brunetti is known to have performed them after taking the post, and the present Adagio is almost certainly that referred to by Leopold Mozart in a letter to his son as \"the Adagio you wrote specially for Brunetti.\" Key relationships make it likely that the movement was intended as a substitute for the slow middle movement of the Violin Concerto No. 5 in A, K. 219, which according to Leopold had been found \"too artificial\" by Brunetti. Dating from 1776, the serenity of the movement is enhanced by orchestral accompaniment scored for muted strings, with a pair of flutes replacing the oboes employed in the outer movements.
Editor: Ernst Rudorff (1840–1916)
Publisher Info.:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozarts Werke, Serie XII:
Concerte für die Violine mit Orchester, Bd.1, No.6 (pp.1-5 (145-149))
Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1881. Plate W.A.M. 261.
Copyright:
Public Domain
