JAVS Fall 2008

of hierarchical variations even with in the same philosophy: from an equal partnership of orchestra and soloists with a primarius -type lead of the violin soloist, to an interpre tation and direction by a conductor. The common element is that the orchestra functions not merely as accompaniment, but as an integral melodic partner. Sinfonia’s Roots as Sonata:A Chamber Music Approach Though any orchestra requires a figure of particular authority to navigate the turns and corners, the Sinfonia Concertante may be treat ed, nonetheless, stylistically as cham ber music. This has a tangible impact on the role of the orchestra, since a certain level of trust and autonomy in dynamics and phras ing is granted to orchestral musi cians. This is especially so when melodic content is superimposed over virtuosic and often arpeggiated passages in the solo parts, for instance in the development section of the first movement. Recordings of interpretations with this philosophy have often chosen smaller orchestras closer to those dur ing Mozart’s time, thus better allow ing the winds to break through the strings. 7 This can be amplified by a “period” interpretation employing an even smaller string section, dictating only the first desk of upper strings, one cello, and one double bass play ing in sections marked “solo.” 8 In this manner, melodically interesting sec tions in any of the string parts can also enjoy a full forte without fear of losing bounce or lightness. Robert

Anderson critiqued: “The main trou ble here is the size of the accompany ing orchestras. Mozart ceases to smile when faced with too many double basses, and like many things in this world, his textures suffer when thrown to the crowd.” 9 The effectiveness of this approach is seen in several sections. The most important comprises bars 326-27 of the first movement (ex. 1), where the solo viola is often lost in the crescendo on recordings employing a larger orchestra: Mozart’s choice of writing an accompanying part for the viola solo in this example is indicative of a chamber music approach, connecting the sixteenth notes in the solo parts to the following orchestral sixteenths. Had the composer intended a distinction in the solo parts, he could have maintained the violin-viola imita tion as follows (ex. 2): Further support for this approach lies with Mozart’s use of the viola, which was not often considered a solo instrument at this time. “The fact then that Mozart wrote no solo work for the viola is immaterial; what is significant is that he han dled it with a daring and originality which in his day must have seemed revolutionary.” 10 The importance of this is seen in greater relief when viewed historically by Stanley Sadie: “Before 1740 the viola was seldom treated as a soloist in any context, generally being banished to the decent obscurity of the accompani ment, realizing the harmony of the middle parts.” 11 Thus, the role of the viola as an equal chamber music

partner to the violin soloist was in itself an innovation for the era.

J. Arthur Watson further notes the extensive use of dialogue between the two solo instruments, another element of chamber music: “Analysis shows that of this [first] movement (excluding tutti pas sages) 72 per cent is dialogue (run ning occasionally into canon) while in the second and third the propor tions are 70 and 68.” 12 Gerhard Croll offers further support of a chamber music perspective, arguing that the movement bears a resem blance to Michael Haydn’s D Major sonata for violin and viola, “a reminiscence that cannot fail to have struck Haydn himself and any listener familiar with his works…. such borrowings were thought of as examples neither of plagiarism nor theft but as the exact opposite, since quotations were considered a sign of particular esteem, a tribute paid by one composer to another.” 13 This opinion is supported by the fact that the two violin-viola duos Mozart composed four years later were to help an ailing Michael Haydn fulfill a commission and were based compositionally on the four previous Haydn duos. Another essential element of cham ber music is the pendulum between blending and contrast. On one end Watson views the use of contrast as integral in chamber music, compar Dissonanzen Quartet composed six years later. 14 Others prefer a view of chamber music with an emphasized cohesion of the solo violin and viola. In this perspective, Sadie ing the use of discords in the Sinfonia Concertante to the

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