Concertino In E-flat major, Opus 4 by Ferdinand David
College
College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Music
Faculty Mentor
Tomoko Deguchi, Ph. D., and Douglas Black Jr., D.M.A.
Abstract
Ferdinand David, a German virtuoso violinist and composer, was born in Hamburg on the 19th of June, 1810. He made his public debut in Leipzig, performing with his sister who played piano. Over the subsequent years he played both as a soloist and as member of the orchestra of Berlin’s Königsstädtisches Theater. In 1835 he moved to Russia at the urging of Mendelssohn, a fellow composer and violinist, and became the Konzertmeister (principal violin), his position until his death (1873). David’s trombone concertino was composed in 1937 and is in three movements Allegro maestoso, Andante marcia funebre, and Allegro maestoso. The Concertino is in a smaller and freer form as opposed to a Concerto. The movements have little silence in between and contain connecting motivs, making the Concertino more like a single movement piece in three sections. David’s Concertino is distinct from other major Concertinos at the time, as it begins with a prolonged exposition based off of the second theme, then the trombone solo enters with a passage in what is in effect an E-flat major triad (the first theme). This theme is found throughout, appearing first in E-flat major, then modulating to B-flat major, and reappearing in the third movement in E-flat major. The only notable controversy surrounding the piece involves the 2nd movement. When compared to the second movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 (1804), the opening phrases are extremely similar and have caused some to accuse David of stealing or at least heavily borrowing from Beethoven
Start Date
21-4-2017 1:45 PM
Concertino In E-flat major, Opus 4 by Ferdinand David
Barnes Rectial Hall
Ferdinand David, a German virtuoso violinist and composer, was born in Hamburg on the 19th of June, 1810. He made his public debut in Leipzig, performing with his sister who played piano. Over the subsequent years he played both as a soloist and as member of the orchestra of Berlin’s Königsstädtisches Theater. In 1835 he moved to Russia at the urging of Mendelssohn, a fellow composer and violinist, and became the Konzertmeister (principal violin), his position until his death (1873). David’s trombone concertino was composed in 1937 and is in three movements Allegro maestoso, Andante marcia funebre, and Allegro maestoso. The Concertino is in a smaller and freer form as opposed to a Concerto. The movements have little silence in between and contain connecting motivs, making the Concertino more like a single movement piece in three sections. David’s Concertino is distinct from other major Concertinos at the time, as it begins with a prolonged exposition based off of the second theme, then the trombone solo enters with a passage in what is in effect an E-flat major triad (the first theme). This theme is found throughout, appearing first in E-flat major, then modulating to B-flat major, and reappearing in the third movement in E-flat major. The only notable controversy surrounding the piece involves the 2nd movement. When compared to the second movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 (1804), the opening phrases are extremely similar and have caused some to accuse David of stealing or at least heavily borrowing from Beethoven
