Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra

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In the 1770s Mozart had been experimenting with the Sinfonia concertante genre, leading in 1779 to the Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra in E flat major, K. 364 (320d), which can be considered his most successful realisation in this cross-over genre between Symphony and Concerto.

Written following a tour of Europe that took in Mannheim and Paris the Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra comprises three movements; Allegro Maestoso, Andante and Presto.

The composition's complex orchestral dynamics reflects the increasing technical competence of the European orchestra of that era and was strongly influenced by Mozart's visit to the Mannheim court orchestra during his European tour of 1777 to 1779.

The viola part is written in D instead of E flat, and the instrument tuned a semitone sharper (scordatura technique), to give a more brilliant tone. This technique is uncommon when performed on the modern viola and is used mostly in performance on original instruments.

The American composer and bassist Edgar Meyer was so interested in this work that in 1995 he wrote a double concerto for double bass, cello and orchestra that, while very different in style, closely mirrors the structure of Mozart's Sinfonia concertante.

The slow second movement is the best known, largely because of Michael Nyman's variations on it, used as the soundtrack to the Peter Greenaway film Drowning by Numbers. The original piece is also heard after each of the drownings in the screenplay.

[edit] References

Mordden, Ethan. A Guide To Orchestral Music: A Handbook for Non-Musicians (Oxford, 1980).

Smith, Erik. Notes to Mozart Sinfonia Concertante K364 (L.P. DECCA 1964)

[edit] Audio files (Ogg file format)

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Sinfonia Concertante für Violine, Viola und Orchester

Performers: ENSEMBLE: Fulda Symphonic Orchestra; CONDUCTOR: Simon Schindler; SOLOISTS: Rebekka Herrmann (violin), Kristina Rill (viola)
Recording: LOCATION: Grosser Saal der Orangerie Fulda; DATE: 2002-03-10 (recorded); ALBUM: 3. Benefiz Symphonie-Konzert; TRACKNUMBER: 2 - 3 - 4
License: LICENSE: EFF Open Audio License (http://www.eff.org/IP/Open_licenses/eff_oal.php); Wikipedia license information: see Wikimedia (Commons) file info links below

Movement	Time	File size	Wikimedia (Commons) download	Wikimedia (Commons) file info	External download
1. Allegro maestoso	13:23	18,133,196 bytes	download	info	http://www-plan.cs.colorado.edu/henkel/fso/cd3/track02.ogg
2. Andante	10:04	13,701,885 bytes	download	info	http://www-plan.cs.colorado.edu/henkel/fso/cd3/track03.ogg
3. Presto	6:28	8,737,653 bytes	download	info	http://www-plan.cs.colorado.edu/henkel/fso/cd3/track04.ogg