Fiddle Around with Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D Major
III. Rondo: Allegro
Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61
I'm Ludwig van Beethoven, and I'm glad to explain the third movement of my Violin Concerto in D Major, the Rondo: Allegro. You'll hear a cheerful tune with the feel of a hunting horn call come back again and again, while the solo violin and the orchestra answer each other like friends in lively conversation. Here on this site my fellow composers and I help you learn to recognize our pieces when they play, so why not try it in the Trainer right now?
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Follow the Tune That Keeps Coming Home
My first piece of advice for this finale is to listen for one cheerful tune, because it keeps coming back and you'll be glad to see it each time. It has the character of a hunting horn call, so picture a bright, outdoorsy melody that makes you want to step out the door. The solo violin plays most of the tune, while the orchestra answers it with fanfare-like interludes in between, so it feels like a friendly conversation. You don't need to catch every note, so just wait for the main tune to return and enjoy the feeling of recognizing it over about ten minutes.Why I Called It a Rondo
I titled this movement Rondo because that is the name for a piece in which a main theme returns again and again, with something different in between each visit. I added Allegro to tell the players to keep things lively, and that fits the mood I wanted after the quiet, slow movement before it. A rondo suited me because a tune you can hum after one hearing is a lovely way to end a long concerto. I also wanted the audience to leave smiling, and this form is hard to beat for that.The Shape of the Journey
Choosing the form was an adventure in itself, but I settled on a rondo, and I kept it in D major and in a bouncing 6/8 time. Think of the main tune as home and of the other sections as short trips, each one leading you away before the tune brings you back. I'll walk you through five sections, starting with the first appearance of the tune and ending with the final dash to the finish. It's going to be a good ride, so keep following me.Section 1: The Tune Steps Out
The soloist's cadenza at the end of the Larghetto leads straight into the finale, so the movement begins almost without a pause. Then the violin presents the main tune, lively and light on its feet, with that hunting horn spirit in the rhythm. The tempo is a brisk Allegro, and the key is D major, which gives everything a sunny, open sound. This is the home base of the movement, so take a good look at it, because you will meet it again.Section 2: The Fanfare Neighbors Drop In
After the tune has had its moment, I send in the first contrasting episode, where the orchestra takes a bigger part. Here you hear the fanfare-like interludes, bold and bright, and hard to miss. The soloist answers with scale runs and arpeggios, so the violin and the orchestra take turns as if they were passing the conversation back and forth. The mood stays happy and energetic, and the main tune soon comes back, as it always does.Section 3: Home Again, With a Few Surprises
The refrain returns, and by now you will probably recognize it right away. I don't let it repeat exactly, though, so the violin adds a few new touches and the orchestra joins in with different colors. This is also where I give the soloist some double stops, which means playing two notes at once, and a pair of plucked notes that sound like a quick wink. The pace never slows, and the whole thing feels like a dance that has found its rhythm.Section 4: A Different Road
Next comes another episode, and here I let the music wander away from the main tune for a while. The dialogue between the soloist and the orchestra is at its liveliest here, with the violin tossing out ideas and the orchestra tossing them back. The tempo stays Allegro, but the music takes on a slightly different character, as a change of scenery should. You may even wonder where the tune has gone, but I promise it hasn't forgotten the way back.Section 5: The Final Dash
The tune returns once more, and this time it leads the music toward the end of the movement. The soloist and the orchestra keep up their cheerful exchange, and the energy builds as the finish gets closer. I wanted the last moments to feel joyful and certain, so the concerto closes in D major with the same bright spirit it showed at the start of the finale. When it ends, the mood is plain, happy, and a little breathless.Your Turn to Press Play
Now it's your turn to hear the Rondo for yourself, so press play and let the music carry you along. While you listen, keep in mind what we talked about, and look out for the main tune each time it comes back. Notice the way the violin and the orchestra answer each other, and the fanfares and the plucked notes along the way. I hope you enjoy the ride as much as I enjoyed writing it.---
When the last bright chord of the finale fades, I like to think the concerto has left you in a good mood. It was received coolly when Franz Clement first played it in 1806. Then it waited quietly for decades until the young Joseph Joachim brought it to London in 1844. Since then it has found its way into the hearts of listeners all over the world. I find that a comforting thought, because music doesn't always get the welcome it deserves on the first evening. Did you enjoy this listen guide to the III. Rondo: Allegro of my Violin Concerto in D Major? I hope the cheerful returning tune now feels like an old friend you can greet whenever it comes back. There is still a lot more to discover in my Violin Concerto in D Major. The gentle Larghetto, the quiet knocking of the timpani at the start, and the cadenzas that violinists like Joachim and Fritz Kreisler wrote all have their own stories. Please click on the links below to keep exploring the Violin Concerto in D Major. Then press play again, and see what new details you hear the second time around.