Concerto No. 3

Description

Mozart composed his five violin concerti in 1775 at the age of nineteen. The third concerto, K. 216 in G Major, is perhaps the clearest model of the classical concerto form with its Sonata-Allegro first movement, a three-part slow movement, and a triple-meter rondo.

In 1947 the noted violist Lillian Fuchs made a transcription of the concerto for viola by dropping the pitch down a fifth to C major and revoicing portions of the piano reduction. An orchestral accompaniment for the Viola Concerto in C was never produced. By her adaptation, Mme. Fuchs has filled void in the violist’s repertoire caused by the absence of a classical concerto by an acknowledged master. Her adaptation, which is still available in print, consists of all three movements of the concerto with her own original cadenzas.

This adaptation of the first movement shortens the orchestral exposition and some of the interludes and eliminates the cadenza, while leaving all of the original solo part intact. The result is a work within the reach of a good high school violist. The orchestral accompaniment, recast for strings, is not difficult. Because of the pitch change, the string parts have been revoiced and often do not closely resemble the original.

Published by: String Instrument Specialists