Mozart - Andante from Sinfonia Concertante {Grumiaux}

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra in E-flat major, K. 364 (320d)

2. Andante

Arthur Grumiaux, violin and Arrigo Pellicia, viola
Londond Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Colin Davis

Photos by Marzena Mrozek from her album "Places where I grew up...." done by cellphone.

At the time of its composition in 1779, Mozart was on a tour of Europe that included Mannheim and Paris. The composition's complex orchestral dynamics reflects the increasing technical competence of the European orchestra of that era and was strongly influenced by Mozart's visit to the Mannheim court orchestra during his European tour of 1777 to 1779. Mozart had been experimenting with the Sinfonia concertante genre and this work can be considered his most successful realization in this cross-over genre between Symphony and Concerto.

This Sinfonia Concertante has influenced many arrangers to use these themes. In 1808 an uncredited arrangement of the piece for string sextet Grande Sestetto Concertante was published by Sigmund Anton Steiner. All six parts are divided equally among the six players; it is not presented as soloists with accompaniment.

The opening two melodic phrases of "The Windmills of Your Mind," a song from the 1968 film The Thomas Crown Affair, were adopted from the opening of the second movement of the Sinfonia Concertante.

The Sinfonia Concertante was mentioned in William Styron's 1979 novel Sophie's Choice; after a stranger molests Sophie on the subway, she hears the Sinfonia Concertante on the radio, which brings back memories of her childhood in Krakow and snaps her out of her depression.

Variations on the slow second movement were used for the soundtrack to the 1988 Peter Greenaway film Drowning by Numbers by composer Michael Nyman. The original piece is also heard after each of the drownings in the screenplay.

The American composer and bassist Edgar Meyer was so interested in this work that in 1995 he wrote a double concerto for double bass, cello and orchestra that, while very different in style, closely mirrors the structure of Mozart's Sinfonia concertante.

The andante movement of this piece was featured in Nuri Bilge Ceylan's 2002 film Uzak.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Mozart
• Sinfonia
• Concertante
• classical
• orchestra
• violin
• viola
• poland

[TooManyStepsToDeath]

this is the most beautiful piece of music ever composed, i shall officially call Mozart my favourite human being of all times.

[bartje11]

@TooManyStepsToDeath You said it! Mozart's way of composing is unsurpassed. Always the right notes, not one too many and always to the point straight to the heart.

[the81stviewer]

This did not at all sound to me like Mozart. I must admit that I don't listen to much Mozart, Beethoven is as classical as I got (it he's even THAT). I am usually a Romantic Fan, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, and the like. This piece sounded almost like a Romantic violin sonata (except of course not with piano, but with chamber orchestra.) Very moving.

[bartje11]

@the81stviewer Mozart has lots of pieces like this. ITS VERY MOZART. slow movements of Piano Concerto no. 9, 18, 23 etc, first movement of Piano Concerto NO. 20 was Beethovens favorite. and no. 24 is unbelievably tragic.

[mmbmbmbmb]

Beautiful music & video makes one forget (at least for 11:19 minutes) the hardships of life. Thanks for that!

[bartje11]

@mmbmbmbmb The photos are taken in a place in Poland where bad things happened. It is laden with history, a past of violence. Thus the pictures speak of a sad past............. but its also a beautiful place.

[Ulysse0201]

Les plus jeunes ont bien évidemment "leur" place... mais un retour aux grands d'antan, c'est une respiration différente...

[frida773]

I feel that angels are all over in absolute freedom.

[mmbmbmbmb]

@mmbmbmbmb  Actually during listening I felt quite ambivalent and uncomfortable. However - by that time my comment was already written and sent. Thanks for the additional information.

[PIEDRAHITAJORGE]

Thanks for posting such a beautiful work!