Violin Concerto No. 2 in D Major

The first of four remarkable string concertos written by Mozart between June and December 1775, the Violin Concerto No. 2 contains the ingredients required to bring a smile to the faces of performers and listeners alike. The work’s charm flows from a simple fanfare-like arpeggio and its graceful continuation, stated first by an orchestra comprising two oboes, two horns and strings, then echoed and elaborated by the solo violin. Mozart revels in the interplay between soloist and orchestra, training the spotlight on the skills of an individual while reminding listeners of the star player’s dependence on the group. He underlines the point in the concerto’s central “Andante”, a radiant aria-without-words in which the soloist spins tender melodies above the orchestra’s sustaining bed of consonant harmonies. The concerto closes with a “Rondeau: Allegro”, propelled by an elegant main theme in the style of a minuet and flavoured by short episodes that modify the mood until the uplifting rondo melody’s return.