Composer

:

Allan Pettersson

Genre

:

Concerto

Style

:

Concerto

Compose Date

:

1979

First Performance

:

Nov 1988

Average_duration

:

29:27

Allan Pettersson's Viola Concerto is a significant work in the repertoire of the viola. It was composed in 1955 and premiered in 1957 by the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, with the composer conducting and Bengt Jonsson as the soloist. The concerto is in three movements and has a duration of approximately 35 minutes. The first movement, marked Allegro, begins with a solo viola cadenza that sets the tone for the entire work. The orchestra then enters with a series of dissonant chords, creating a tense and dramatic atmosphere. The viola and orchestra engage in a dialogue, with the soloist often playing long, lyrical lines that contrast with the orchestra's more angular and aggressive passages. The movement ends with a return to the opening material, with the viola once again playing a cadenza. The second movement, marked Adagio, is a slow and introspective meditation. The viola plays a mournful melody over a soft and delicate accompaniment from the orchestra. The movement gradually builds in intensity, with the viola playing increasingly complex and virtuosic passages. The orchestra responds with a series of climactic outbursts, before the movement ends with a return to the quiet and reflective mood of the opening. The final movement, marked Allegro con brio, is a lively and energetic dance. The viola and orchestra engage in a playful and rhythmic dialogue, with the soloist often playing syncopated and jazzy lines. The movement features several virtuosic passages for the viola, including a cadenza that leads into the final section. The concerto ends with a triumphant and exuberant coda. Pettersson's Viola Concerto is characterized by its intense emotional expression, complex harmonies, and virtuosic writing for the soloist. The work is a testament to the composer's skill in writing for the viola, and it remains a popular and challenging piece for violists today.

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