Jascha Heifetz (Violin)
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Serge Koussevitzky (Conductor)
The opening “Allegro” movement features not only a contrast between themes but also between solo and orchestral presentations of the musical materials. The orchestra opens with a noble, triadic melody in the low strings and woodwinds. The full orchestra takes up this theme and modulates towards a secondary theme. The second theme, however, does not materialize. Instead, the arpeggiation is broken off and the solo violin enters with a brilliant minor version of the principle theme. The Orchestra and solo violin eventually return to the peaceful mood of the opening, and finally the soloist introduces a lilting theme in the style of a Viennese waltz. An extended development sees the orchestra and the soloist share equally in the process of expanding the musical ideas, until the timpani returns us climactically to the musical material heard at the beginning. The secondary theme makes another appearance, before Joachim’s virtuosic cadenza brings the movement to a tranquil close. The slow “Adagio” opens with an extended oboe solo accompanied by the choir of woodwinds. The solo violin quietly expands on this melody, punctuated by brief woodwind interjections. In the contrasting section, dissonant harmonies accompany the soaring melodic lines played by the solo instrument. The concluding “Allegro” is a fiery Rondo imbued with a distinct gypsy flavor in homage to the Hungarian-born Joachim. The recurring refrain — featuring double stops, snappy rhythms for the solo violin and a rumbling accompaniment which sounds like the strumming of a guitar — is contrasted by two episodes. Both feature sequentially virtuosic passagework and a cadenza-like passage for the violin, which leads the work to a triumphant close.
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