Fiddle Around with Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D Major
II. Larghetto
Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61
I'm Ludwig van Beethoven, and I'm happy to guide you through the second movement of my Violin Concerto in D Major, the Larghetto. You'll hear muted strings state one calm theme in G major, then watch the solo violin circle around it with delicate decorations, never playing the tune head-on. My fellow composers and I also teach you on this site to recognize our pieces when they play, so open the Trainer and put your listening to the test.
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Listen Closely, Nobody Is Hurrying
I suggest you settle in for about ten minutes and let this movement set the pace, because it asks very little of you except time. Listen first for the muted strings, whose sound is soft and slightly veiled, as if a curtain had been drawn over it. Then listen for the solo violin, which floats above the orchestra and adds delicate decorations around the tune. You don't need to know any music theory, so just notice the same simple tune coming back a little differently each time.Why I Called It Larghetto
Larghetto is an Italian word for a slow, broad pace, and I chose it because I wanted this music to breathe. After a first movement that is long even by the standards of my day, I felt both the players and the listeners deserved a calm place to rest. I also moved the music into G major, and that change of key feels like stepping out of a busy hall into a quiet room. So the title works as a gentle instruction to everyone involved: take your time, because nobody is waiting for you.Choosing the Form: Same Tune, New Outfits
Choosing the form here was an adventure, and I settled on a set of variations, saving the rondo for the finale. In a set of variations, a theme is stated first and then returns again and again in changed forms. You can think of it as one person walking in and out of a room wearing a different coat each time. I'll take you through three sections, namely the theme, the variations and the cadenza that leads out of the movement, so stay with me.Section 1: The Theme Tiptoes In
The movement begins in G major at a slow Larghetto pace, with the strings playing softly through their mutes. The theme they state is simple and song-like, and that is on purpose, because a tune you can remember easily is much more fun to follow once it starts changing. Nothing here is hurried or loud, and the mood is calm, warm and a little dreamy. Let this first tune settle in your ear, because everything that follows grows out of it.Section 2: The Violin Gets Decorative
Now the variations begin, and the soloist enters with delicate, flowing lines that circle around the theme instead of stating it. The tune itself stays recognizable underneath, so you can always find your way back to it, even when the violin is busy with its ornaments. The tempo stays unhurried, but the mood shifts gently from simple and quiet to graceful and richly adorned. This is where the movement tells its main story: the same tune, seen from several different sides.Section 3: The Cadenza Opens the Door
Toward the end the orchestra steps back and leaves the soloist alone for a cadenza, a free passage where the violinist can shine without any accompaniment. I wrote no cadenzas for the violin version, so violinists write their own or choose those by Joseph Joachim or Fritz Kreisler. This cadenza leads directly into the finale without any break, and the mood turns from dreamy to cheerful. The finale then arrives in D major, as a rondo, and you will notice at once how the movement's calm gives way to energy.Your Turn: Press Play
Now it's your turn, so press play on the Larghetto and let it carry you along. While it plays, keep in mind what we talked about: the muted strings, the tune that keeps returning and the violin decorating around it. You don't have to catch every detail, because simply following the tune is already a good way to listen. I hope this journey through my Larghetto gives you as much joy as it gave me while I was writing it.---
I hope you enjoyed learning about the listen guide to the Larghetto from my Violin Concerto in D Major. I find that a slow movement like this one keeps giving a little more each time you come back to it, so I hope the quiet theme and the violin's gentle decorations stay with you after the last note fades. There is still a lot more to discover in my Violin Concerto in D Major, from the five soft taps on the timpani that open the first movement to the cheerful, hunting-horn spirit of the finale. Even the story behind it has more to tell, including how I wrote it in 1806 for my friend Franz Clement. If you'd like to keep exploring, please click on the links provided and let the rest of the concerto unfold for you. And the next time you hear the muted strings begin, I hope you settle in and let the music take its time.