Fiddle Around with Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D Major
The Best Moments
Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61
I'm Ludwig van Beethoven, and these are the best moments of my Violin Concerto in D Major. You'll meet the moments that still win people over, from the quiet drum taps at the start to the cheerful finale, even though the first performance in 1806 was poorly received. Here on this site I also teach, together with my fellow composers, how to recognize our pieces when they play, so give the Trainer a go and see.
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Knock, Knock, Who's There?
I begin the first movement with five quiet taps on the timpani, a bit like someone knocking politely on the door of a house where a big party is about to start. Then the orchestra walks in first and makes the soloist wait, which is a lot of patience to ask for in a movement longer than most concertos of my day.
The Soloist Who Won't Take the Microphone
I open the Larghetto with muted strings stating a gentle theme, so softly that it sounds like the orchestra is whispering to avoid waking someone. The violin never plays that theme directly and weaves decorations around it instead, like a guest who keeps rearranging the flowers rather than giving the toast.
Off to the Countryside, Bouncing All the Way
I start the finale with a theme that has the character of a hunting horn call, and it bounces along in 6/8 time like a cheerful group heading out for a day in the country. The soloist answers with a pair of plucked notes while the orchestra breaks in with fanfare-like interruptions, and the whole conversation stays happy from start to finish.
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I hope you enjoyed learning about the best moments of my Violin Concerto in D Major as much as I enjoyed telling you about them. When I look back at this concerto, I think of how it began with five quiet taps and ended in a mood of plain, cheerful energy. It had a rough start, since the first audience in 1806 was not kind to it, and it took until 1844 for Joseph Joachim to bring it back into the concert hall. I'm glad it found its way, because I think the music has simply been waiting for listeners who were ready to hear it. Did you notice how much of it I built from those few repeated notes? There is still a lot more to explore in this concerto. I haven't said much about the cadenzas that violinists such as Fritz Kreisler wrote for it, or about the version for piano and orchestra that I arranged myself. Each of them shows the same music from a different side. So please click on the links provided and keep exploring the Violin Concerto in D Major. I'd love for you to come back to it, listen again, and hear something new this time.