Mozart composed five concerti for violin in 1775 when he was 19 years old and serving as concertmaster for the Salzburg orchestra. The works were most likely composed to feature Mozart as soloist.
The compositional growth displayed in these five violin concerti shows how quickly Mozart developed his craft. All five concerti are considered masterworks and are recorded by many violin virtuosi, although the final concerto in A Major is the most often performed in the set.
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| MOZART WITH HIS VIOLIN |
The first violin concerto was Mozart's first original concerto composed for any instrument and has some traces of the Baroque influence of Vivaldi.
The second violin concerto is known for its simplicity and clarity characteristic of the classical style.
The third violin concerto was a favorite of performers and audiences both during Mozart's time as well as today. It's nickname "Strassburg" is a reference to the Alsatian folk tune incorporated into the dance-like final movement.
The fourth violin concerto is sometimes referred to as the "Military" concerto for the march-like rhythm that permeates the first movement.
The fifth violin concerto gets it's "Turkish" nickname because of the Turkish-style dance in the center of the final movement. The fifth concerto is the most widely performed of the set.
VIDEO WALKTHROUGHS
Violin Concerto 1
Violin Concerto 2
Violin Concerto 3 "Strassburg"
Violin Concerto 5 "Turkish"
