Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major K. 219 Allegro aperto – Adagio – Allegro aperto 00:00 Adagio 09:37 Rondeau – Tempo di minuetto 17:48
Scottish Chamber Orchestra Directed from the violin by Ernst Kovacic
The Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major, K. 219, often referred to by the nickname The Turkish, was written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1775, premiering during the holiday season that year in Salzburg. It follows the typical fast-slow-fast musical structure. Mozart composed the majority of his concertos for string instruments from 1773 to 1779, but it is unknown for whom, or for what occasion, he wrote them. [...] The aperto marking on the first movement is rare in Mozart's instrumental music , but appears much more frequently in his operas. It implies that the piece should be played in a broader, more majestic way than might be indicated simply by allegro. The first movement opens with the orchestra playing the main theme, a typical Mozartian tune. The solo violin comes in with a short but sweet dolce adagio passage in A Major with a simple accompaniment by the orchestra. It then transitions back to the main theme with the solo violin playing a different melody on top of the orchestra. The rondo Finale is based on a Minuet theme which recurs several times. In the middle of the movement the meter changes from 3/4 to 2/4 and a section of \"Turkish music\" is played. This is characterised by the shift to A minor (from the original A major), and by the use of grotesque elements, such as unison chromatic crescendos, repetition of very short musical elements and col legno playing in the cellos and double basses. This section gave the concerto the nickname \"The Turkish Concerto\".