Mozart: Violin Concertos Nos. 1 And 2

Description

Wolfgang AmadeusMozart (1756-1791) Violin Concerto No. 1in B Flat Major, K. 207 Violin Concerto No. 2in D Major, K. 211Rondo in B Flat Major,K. 269Andante in F Major(from Piano Concerto, K. 467)Wolfgang AmadeusMozart was born in Salzburg in 1756, the younger and second surviving child ofLeopold Mozart, a musician in the service of the ruling Archbishop. The sameyear brought the publication of Leopold Mozart's book on violin-playing, acompilation that won him a wide reputation. Nevertheless his career wassacrificed before long to that of his son, whose genius he soon realised and tothe fostering of which he dedicated his energies. He remained until his deathin 1787 Vice-Kapellmeister in Salzburg, his final years darkened by his son'sdeparture for Vienna in 1781.In his childhoodMozart excelled as a keyboard-player, his skill shown in performance, insight-reading and in improvisation, and as a violinist. With his older sisterNannerl he toured Europe, exciting wonder wherever he went. Adolescence provedless satisfactory. In 1771 the old Archbishop of Salzburg, an indulgent patron,died, and was succeeded by Count Colloredo, a son of the ImperialVice-Chancellor, a prelate with progressive views, coupled with a precise ideaof what was due to him from those in his employ. At the age of thirteen Mozarthad been appointed third concert-master of the court orchestra, unpaid. Underthe new Archbishop he was given the paid position of concert-master, but therewere now severe restrictions on his freedom, exercised in earlier years inextended tours that had taken him to Paris, to London and on several occasionsto Italy. Salzburg, furthermore, could hardly satisfy Mozart's ambitions as acomposer, or his father's justified hopes for his son's material advancement.In 1777 he was allowed to resign from the Archbishop's service, an optionoffered also to his father, but prudently refused, in order to travel toMannheim and to Paris. The object of the journey, on which he was accompaniedby his mother, who fell ill and died during their stay in Paris, was to seek abetter appointment. In January 1779 he returned home, reluctantly accepting theappointment of court organist in Salzburg.In 1780 there came acommission for a new opera for the Elector of Bavaria in Munich, staged earlyin 1781, and this was followed by a visit to Vienna in the entourage of hispatron. Apparent restrictions on his freedom to perform as he wished in Viennaled Mozart to quarrel with the Archbishop, a dispute that ended in hisdismissal. For the remaining ten years of his life he remained in Vienna,encumbered by a wife and intermittently increasing family, but without thesecurity of a patron or the support of regular paternal advice. Initial successin the theatre and as a keyboard-player, particularly in a magnificent seriesof piano concertos he wrote for his own use, was followed by a period ofdepression, when he found it increasingly difficult to meet the expenses of astyle of life to which he had be