Sinfonia Concertante för viola och violin

As the name suggests, a sinfonia concertante is a cross between a symphony and a concerto, generally featuring two or more solo instruments. The form would later develop into the double concerto. Mozart composed his Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola during the summer of 1779, when he had returned to the service of the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg after a number of years seeking his fortune in various European cities. Mozart greatly disliked life at the Salzburg court, where he was viewed as a simple servant rather than a great artist.

The work consists of three movements, beginning with a stately allegro maestoso. It is difficult not to smile when one hears the fantastic ascending theme barely a minute into the piece. The slow andante movement contains a beautiful dialogue between the violin and viola. The music is used in Peter Greenaway’s film Drowning by Numbers. The finale (presto) provides a refreshing, sparkling conclusion