JAVS Summer 2026

Figure 9. Grace-note figures preceding the final trill in Mozart's concerto cadenzas.

Taken together, these techniques demonstrate that Classical cadenzas were not arbitrary displays of virtuosity. Instead, they were carefully constructed from a relatively small collection of melodic, rhythmic, and ornamental patterns. The recurrence of these procedures in both treatises and surviving cadenzas provides a practical framework for developing a historically informed cadenza for Stamitz’s Viola Concerto .

Cadential Closure and Orchestral Reentry A defining feature of the Classical cadenza is its highly conventionalized conclusion. As discussed earlier, the cadenza typically culminates in a prolonged trill on the supertonic, implying a dominant harmony and preparing the return of the orchestra. Contemporary sources indicate that this trill begins on the upper note and increases in both intensity and speed before resolving to the tonic. 38

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Journal of the American Viola Society / Vol. 42, Summer 2026 Online Issue