JAVS Fall 2000

VoL. 16 No.3

24

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN VIOLA SOCIETY

The second movement of this concerto is in B-flat Major, the key of the dominant (in con trast to the more typical sub-dominant or relative minor). This makes a transition to the final movement a simple matter. The second movement originally ended in B-flat major, with a fermata over the final note. It was presumably Schubert who crossed out that measure and composed four more, turning the second movement's tonic triad of B-flat into a B-flat dominant seventh, and thus preparing for the key of E-flat, the tonic of the final movement. In addition, the phrase attaca Rondo was added to most of the parts, further enhancing the linking quality of this new transition. The mystery of the evolution ofparts is further clarified here. The second movement in the orig inal string parts (A) ends on a dotted-half note with a fermata. The Band C string parts, though, have the final note crossed out and the transition added. These changes were completed when the wind parts were copied out, as they have the added measures written directly into the parts. The solo part (from the original set in the A hand) likewise includes the added transition. But in addition it contains a small "+" sign, directing the soloist to the bottom of the page, where a cadenza has been added, in the D hand! Ripieno Parts An unusual feature of this concerto is the existence of extra ripieno parts for violin I, violin II, and basso (in C's hand). Whereas ripieno parts are common in Baroque concerto grossi, they are essentially unknown in Classical works. Here they are most often used to augment the orchestral sound during tutti passages. Though based on A, they were prepared considerably later, after Schubert composed the major changes to the first and last movements. These parts duplicate the tutti passages, but leave out the accompaniment to most of the solo passages. Examination of these parts suggests that copyist C was not a skilled musician. There exist numerous mistakes that confirm this observation (consult the author's dissertation 22 for a long list of such errors). One interesting item regarding this copyist concerns articulation: whereas copyists A and B use the 'strike' character to notate staccato, C uses staccato dots. It was clear, at least in C's mind, that these two markings are synonymous. (Were we able to trust C's musical judgment, we might conclude from this that, at least in this circumstance, 'strikes' were simply another way to notate staccato. This still might be the case). ANALYSIS Very few comments will be provided regarding formal analysis of this work, primarily because it follows fairly standard practices of late 18th-century Viennese concertos. First movement Typically, the first movement of a late Classical concerto is cast in "double exposition sonata form." Here, the exposition is presented twice: the first exposition is for the orchestra alone and remains in the tonic, whereas the second introduces the soloist and modulates to the key of the dominant. Schubert alters this scheme in two ways. First, the viola solo presents the second theme during the first exposition, and this is in the key of the dominant. The second exposition then proceeds as expected. The movement then proceeds in typical fashion, with a new theme presented and heard only in the development. There is no cadenza in this movement. Second movement The second movement is cast in a modified song form, specifically Introduction-A-B-A-Coda Transition. Aside from the final transition, the only deviation from normal practice is found in the Introduction. Whereas the body of the movement is in~ time, the introduction is in 1! This is sim ilar in manner to many first movement introductions (e.g., Haydn's Symphony No. 104) in which the introduction is often in a different tempo and meter from the body of the movement. It serves, as the name suggests, as an introduction, with no thematic material in common with the body of the movement. This is the case in the se<;:ond movement of the Schubert Concerto.