This performance was recorded at ‘Amalia & Friends’ in Wellington, a series of concerts to celebrate the return of live music, and the important place it has in all our lives, after the Covid-19 lockdown.
In some ways, these concerts approach the experience that Mozart’s original audiences would have enjoyed. Many of his works were performed in churches, or in cathedrals such as the one in Salzburg, where Mozart was employed. His music was written with these kind of spaces in mind, with the soft, rich resonance that high ceilings, wooden beams and ornate plasterwork provide. Other works were premièred in the private salons of his wealthy patrons, making them an intimate experience for small audiences who could observe the performers closely. Mozart would lead the performances from within the orchestra or as soloist, as Amalia Hall does here.
Mozart Violin Concerto No 3
- Allegro
- Adagio
- Rondo Allegro
This concerto was probably written in the summer of 1775. Mozart appears to have re-purposed part of an aria from an opera of that year, 'Il Re Pastore', for the bustling first movement. A hushed and contemplative adagio - the tutti strings are muted - is followed by a finale which breaks out of its rollicking 3/8 time into unexpected and contrasting sections that draw on popular dances and folk songs. (Notes: Erica Challis)
Recorded 20 June 2020 at St Andrew's on The Terrace, Wellington by RNZ Concert
Producer: David McCaw
Engineer: Darryl Stack